Factors Influencing Voter Turnout and Registration

by | Oct 7, 2023 | Government

Important: Using the provided sources are mandatory. No external sources are accepted for this assignment.
Use and cite the given sources in the assignment, as evidence or examples to support your answers.
The following questions are essay questions, please use complete sentences and avoid short answers.
After reading the assigned articles and watching the videos, answer the following questions:
(Five to Six paragraphs long, 5 to 6 sentences for each paragraph)
Use these sources to answer the following question:
I. What factors influence voter turnout and registration?
Texas Election Turnout https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2022-11-10/texas-election-turnout-dropped-again-this-year-experts-arent-surprised
Early voting in Texas https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/28/texas-2022-election-turnout-tracker/
Voter Turnout and Political Participation in Texas https://oertx.highered.texas.gov/courseware/lesson/1103/overview#:~:text=Voter%20Turnout%20in%20Texas&text=Overall%2C%20voter%20turnout%20among%20the,than%20the%20turnout%20increase%20nationwide.
Use these sources to answer the following question:
II. How does Gerrymandering impact elections and representation?
Gerrymandering Explained https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/gerrymandering-explained
What is Gerrymandering and how does it impact you? https://www.whqr.org/local/2016-12-01/coastline-a-new-way-to-approach-congressional-redistricting
Here is how partisan gerrymandering impacts Texans https://www.keranews.org/politics/2021-10-07/with-redistricting-underway-heres-how-partisan-gerrymandering-impacts-texans
Use these sources to answer the following question
III. How do you think the Texas voter ID law and recent attempts of purging voter rolls affect voter turnout in Texas? Where do you stand on these issue? Explain why you favor or oppose voter ID laws or challenging the status of voters on voter rolls.
Texas Voter ID Laws https://www.texastribune.org/topics/voter-id/
It’s harder to vote in Texas than in any other state https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/19/texas-voting-elections/
Texas Voting Laws Compare To Other States https://www.keranews.org/government/2022-10-31/how-texas-voting-laws-compare-to-other-states
Texas Mail-in Votes https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/11/texas-mail-in-voting-lawsuit/
THE LINK TO YOUTUBE VEDIOS ARE BELOW:

Use these sources to answer the following question
How would you rate Texas’s voter turnout during elections (Presidential and Midterm elections)?

Turnout and Voter Registration https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/70-92.shtml
Texas Voter Turnout ( Midterm Elections) https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/10/texas-voter-turnout-2022/
Texas Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections https://www.texascounties.net/statistics/electioncomparison2020to2016.htm
Presidential Elections (2020) Voter Turnout https://www.brookings.edu/research/turnout-in-2020-spiked-among-both-democratic-and-republican-voting-groups-new-census-data-shows/

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

I. Factors Influencing Voter Turnout and Registration

Voter turnout and registration rates in Texas are influenced by various factors. The assigned sources shed light on some of these factors:

Voter Education and Awareness: According to the article from Texas Tribune, voter education and awareness campaigns play a significant role in increasing voter turnout. Informing citizens about the importance of voting, the registration process, and key election dates can encourage more individuals to participate in elections.

Demographic Factors: The article from KERA News highlights that Texas has experienced lower voter turnout compared to the national average. This disparity can be attributed, in part, to demographic factors such as age, race, and income. Younger individuals and minority communities tend to have lower voter registration and turnout rates.

Access to Early Voting: The Texas Tribune article on early voting in Texas suggests that providing convenient access to early voting locations and expanding the early voting period can positively impact voter turnout. Early voting allows individuals more flexibility to cast their ballots, especially those with work or other commitments on Election Day.

Political Engagement: The article from OER TX emphasizes that political engagement is a crucial factor in voter turnout. Citizens who are engaged in political discourse, follow election news, and feel connected to the political process are more likely to register and vote.

II. Impact of Gerrymandering on Elections and Representation

Gerrymandering refers to the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group. The assigned sources provide insights into the impact of gerrymandering on elections and representation:

Distorted Representation: The Brennan Center report explains that gerrymandering can lead to distorted representation by creating uncompetitive districts that favor one party over others. This can result in an imbalance of power and reduced competition in elections.

Partisan Advantage: The Whqr.org article highlights how gerrymandering allows political parties to draw district lines strategically, concentrating their supporters in certain districts to gain a partisan advantage. This can lead to less competitive elections and reduced choice for voters.

Minority Vote Dilution: The Keranews article points out that gerrymandering can dilute the voting power of minority communities by dividing them across multiple districts or packing them into a small number of districts, limiting their ability to elect candidates of their choice.

III. Impact of Texas Voter ID Laws and Voter Roll Purging Attempts

The Texas voter ID law and recent attempts to purge voter rolls have generated debates regarding their impact on voter turnout. Here is an analysis of these issues:

Voter ID Laws: The Texas Tribune provides information on voter ID laws in Texas, which require voters to present specific forms of identification at the polls. Supporters argue that these laws prevent voter fraud and maintain the integrity of elections. However, critics argue that such laws disproportionately affect certain groups, such as low-income individuals and racial minorities, who may face challenges in obtaining the required forms of identification.

Purging Voter Rolls: Recent attempts to challenge the status of voters on voter rolls have raised concerns about potential disenfranchisement. The Texas Tribune highlights lawsuits related to mail-in voting laws in Texas, which have sparked debates about the purging of voter rolls and its impact on voter turnout.

Where I Stand:

Regarding voter ID laws, I believe it is essential to balance ensuring the integrity of elections with protecting individuals’ right to vote. While measures to prevent fraud are necessary, it is crucial to minimize any adverse effects on marginalized communities by addressing accessibility issues and providing assistance in obtaining identification documents.

Regarding purging voter rolls, I am cautious about any attempts that could potentially disenfranchise eligible voters. Any changes or challenges to voter rolls should be conducted with transparency, fairness, and a thorough review process to avoid wrongful removals.

Overall, I support measures that promote inclusive and accessible voting systems, ensuring that all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in elections while maintaining safeguards against fraud or abuse.

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