Lecture 3 - Voter Suppression part 2

Question 1

What is election fraud?

Answer 1

Election fraud refers to illegal acts that interfere with the fairness of elections, often to manipulate outcomes.

Question 2

What is electoral malpractice?

Answer 2

Electoral malpractice includes actions that violate electoral laws or principles, but they may not always be intentional or illegal.

Question 3

What is electoral integrity?

Answer 3

Electoral integrity means that elections are conducted according to democratic norms, ensuring free, fair, and equal participation.

Question 4

What are the key differences between election fraud and electoral malpractice?

Answer 4

Election fraud is typically intentional and illegal, while electoral malpractice may be unintentional and not always illegal.

Question 5

What are international norms related to electoral integrity?

Answer 5

International norms like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) set standards for electoral integrity.

Question 6

How can election integrity be measured?

Answer 6

Election integrity can be measured through media reports, citizen crowd-sourcing, election observers, and expert evaluations like the Electoral Integrity Project.

Question 7

What are some specific challenges to election integrity in the U.S.?

Answer 7

Challenges include gerrymandering, campaign financing, voter registration laws, voting methods, and foreign influence.

Question 8

What is gerrymandering and how does it affect elections?

Answer 8

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular party or group, distorting representation.

Question 9

How does campaign finance influence U.S. elections?

Answer 9

Campaign finance affects elections through donations, Super PACs, and ‘dark money,’ which can influence election outcomes.

Question 10

What role does voter ID play in U.S. election integrity?

Answer 10

Voter ID laws can suppress voter turnout by requiring specific identification, which may disproportionately affect certain groups.

Question 11

What are the challenges with electoral management in the U.S.?

Answer 11

Electoral management issues include partisan election administration, discrepancies in voting methods across states, and certifying results.

Question 12

How does foreign influence affect U.S. elections?

Answer 12

Foreign influence can include disinformation campaigns, hacking, and attempts to disrupt voter registration or vote counts.

Question 13

What are disinformation campaigns and their impact on election integrity?

Answer 13

Disinformation campaigns spread false information to undermine confidence in election results or manipulate voter behavior.

Question 14

What trends in election integrity have been observed globally (1990-2018)?

Answer 14

Global trends have shown varying levels of election integrity, with some democracies experiencing declines in electoral fairness.

Question 15

What is election forensics and how does it help measure election integrity?

Answer 15

Election forensics involves statistical analysis to detect patterns that may indicate fraud or malpractice in elections.

Question 16

What is the role of election observers in ensuring electoral integrity?

Answer 16

Election observers from organizations like the EU, OSCE, and Carter Center monitor elections to ensure fairness and transparency.

Question 17

What are some key voting laws and practices in the U.S.?

Answer 17

Key practices include voter registration laws, early voting, postal voting, and voter ID requirements, which vary by state.

Question 18

How does early voting and postal voting affect voter turnout?

Answer 18

Early voting and postal voting can increase voter turnout by making the voting process more accessible.

Question 19

What role does campaign media play in election integrity?

Answer 19

Campaign media shapes voter perceptions, but highly partisan media can lead to biased reporting and polarized opinions.

Question 20

How do media bubbles and disinformation impact U.S. elections?

Answer 20

Media bubbles isolate voters into ideological groups, while disinformation spreads false information to undermine trust in election results.

Question 21

What are some examples of foreign interference in U.S. elections?

Answer 21

Examples include disinformation campaigns, hacking of candidate emails, and attempts to interfere with voter registration systems.