Subject: Social Studies Type of Lesson: Web-based, Discussion, Group Work

Grade: 10 CSEC OBJ: Describe the factors that influence

voter participation in elections
(Section A, # 20)

Term: 2 Unit Number #1 - Government

and Title:

Duration: 1 x 35 minutes Week Number: 4

Lesson Number # 14 Factors Influencing Voter

and Title: Turnout (1):
a. Campaign Issues
b. Candidates
c. Voter Apathy

Objectives
As a result of this lesson, the student will be able to:
1) identify five (5) campaign issues.
2) describe at least four (4) qualities that candidates running for
election should possess.
3) explain three (3) reasons for voter apathy.
4) assess how campaign issues, candidates and voter apathy affect
voter turnout.
5) stimulate voter interest within the community.

Prerequisite Student Knowledge

The student should be familiar with:
1) the impact of voter turnout on the outcome of elections.
2) factors influencing the outcome of elections.

Important Points
1) Voter Turnout refers to the actual number of elector that vote on
election day and is expressed as a percentage of the total number of
persons that are registered to vote.

Teacher Instructional Material 1

 2) Factors influencing voter participation in elections are varied,
however some key elements to consider are campaign issues,
candidates and voter apathy.
3) Since the electorate is not a homogenous group, it is anticipated
that each elector focuses on a few areas that he/she thinks need to
be addressed. These areas are referred to as campaign issues and
primarily focus on socio-economic factors such as crime,
unemployment, taxes, loan deficit, and education.
4) Like campaign issues, the candidates, are also of concern to
electors as they want to be confident that their representatives are
competent persons.
5) Voter apathy influences voter turnout as the less interested the
electorate is in the elections, the less likely they will be to vote.

Key Terms

Apathy Campaign Candidate

Voter Turnout

Challenge Areas
(To be done after students have completed this lesson)
1. Conduct a survey amongst teachers at your school to find out
what they look for in a candidate:
a. Construct a questionnaire to give to your sample
b. Distribute and collect questionnaires
c. Compile data
d. Present your findings to your class
2. Visit the youth group in your community and suggest to the
president that he/she should have a debate on the topic Voter
Apathy: I dont vote because

Equipment/Materials Needed
Multimedia projector, computers with internet connectivity, pdf reader
and flash player, speakers / headsets for audio and a spacious
classroom

Note to Teacher
Your main concern should be to help students to understand that
people vote for different reasons. Emphasize to students that the
choice of who to vote for should engage a rational thought process. Be
prepared to deal with partisan comments which may infiltrate the class

Teacher Instructional Material 2

 discussions. Do not declare your political affiliations or sentiments;
rather, try to keep discussions balanced and unbiased using examples
from both sides of the political divide. Have pictures and cartoons
printed and download videos where possible so that you have a back-
up in the event that internet connectivity is lost.

Teachers Lesson Notes

Teacher Instructional Material 3

Introduction
1) Introductory Activity
Why should People Vote? Discussion of Drama Sketch.

a. Select two students to play the roles of Kevin and Dave.

i. Instruct each student to read the part allocated for

the class.
ii. When the skit is finished begin a discussion with
students about the reasons people vote.

Box 14.1: Drama Sketch

b. Inform students that this lesson is about voter participation

in elections.

Teacher Instructional Material 4

Body of Lesson
1) How do Campaign Issues impact on the Voter Turnout?
Discussion of Image.
a. Ask students to write in their notebooks two important
issues that they think the government needs to address.
i. Tell students to share their issues with the class.

b. Project the image in box 14.2 below onto the screen.

Then ask the students the following questions to guide the
discussion:

Figure14.1: Candidates Campaign Issues

i. How do you think the candidate in the image above

can address the campaign issues written on the
balloons?
ii. In what ways do you think addressing the issues on
the balloons will influence the voter turnout?
iii. What do you think will happen if a political
campaign does not focus on issues that are
important to the electorate?

Teacher Instructional Material 5

2) Why are candidates an important factor influencing voter
turnout? Internet Use, Group Work.

a. Instruct students to go to the webpage below and view the

cartoon shown in the link>>.
http://www.jamaicaelections.com/general/2011/cartoons/in
dex.php?offset=26 (Untitled Gleaner Cartoon #26). Next
ask students the following questions:
i. What personal qualities do you think that candidates
for an election should have?
ii. How qualified do you think a candidate up for
election should be?
iii. How does age or sex impact on how the electorate
views a candidate?
iv. Would you vote for the candidate in the cartoon?
Give reasons for your response.
Expected answers:
i. Candidates for elections should possess honesty,
humility, accountability, people-friendly,
respectfulness
ii. Should be literate and a good orator. Should
have certain degree of expertise (theoretical or
experiential)
iii. Age denotes experience therefore the older a
candidate is the more likely the electorate is to
vote for that person. However, if a person is
deemed to be too old to think coherently or to
move freely then the electorate may not want to
vote for such a person.
iv. Leave to students discretion*

Figure 14.2 Gleaner Cartoon

Teacher Instructional Material 6

 b. Divide the class into five groups. Instruct each group to
design the profile of a model candidate. The candidate
profile should include the following:
i. Four character traits that the candidate should
possess
ii. Levels of qualification that are acceptable to run for
office
iii. Outline of community involvement
Each group should create a poster of the ideal candidate based
on the profile created.

Tell groups to make their presentation of the ideal candidate to

the class.

3) How does Voter Apathy affect Voter Turnout? Discussion of

Drama Sketch .

a. Refer students to the drama sketch (box 14.1) used as the

introductory activity for the lesson. Ask students to:
i. describe Kevins attitude towards the announcement
of the election date;
ii. describe Daves attitude towards the announcement
of the election date;
iii. explain why Kevins attitude towards elections
differs from Daves.
Expected answers:
i. Kevin is enthusiastic and interested
ii. Dave is indifferent and skeptical
iii. Kevin is an informed elector while Dave seems
to be misinformed

b. Point out to students that Daves attitude of indifference or

lack of care is referred to as Voter Apathy
c. Instruct students to read the newspaper article found at the
following link>>. http://jamaicastar.com/the
star/20110418/features/features3.html (Why some
Jamaicans dont vote)
d. Discuss with students the effects of voter apathy on voter
turnout.

Closure
In Class Assignment
1) Instruct class to do a skit about how candidates address a list of
issues presented to them by a local community group. The skit
should also demonstrate why some voters are apathetic.

Teacher Instructional Material 7

Supplemental
Out-of-Class Assignment
1) Tell students to write a poem about the ideal candidate.

2) Encourage students to do further reading on the topic.

Glossary of Terms

Apathy This refers to indifference or lack of care. In this

case, voter apathy means loss of faith in politics
and government leading to abstinence from the
voting process.

Campaign The competition by rival political candidates and

organizations for public office; Work in an
organized and active way toward a particular
goal, typically a political or social one.

Candidate A person who is seeking election to become a

representative (in the House of Parliament, or
Parish Council)

Voter Turnout This is the percentage of the electorate that

registers a vote on election day

CSEC Questions

Recommended Materials
1. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/11/02/peter-roff-vote-
change-reform-candidates-elections-congress-oval-office-
george/ (Why Vote?)

Bibliography
Buckle-Scott, L, Davis-Morrison, V, Louis, A and Lunt P. (2012).
Social Studies for CSEC. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd.

Source
Box 14.1
[Untitled Drama Sketch] Candice Watson

Teacher Instructional Material 8

Figure 14.1
Created by Candice Watson

Figure 14.2
[Untitled Gleaner Cartoon]. Retrieved June 10, 2012, from:
http://www.jamaicaelections.com/general/2011/cartoons/index
.php?offset=26

Teacher Instructional Material 9