Transcript Making My Vote Count! - Florida Supreme Court

Testing your knowledge about Florida
Government, civics and elections.
Name That Amendment
Voting Rights
Branches of Government
Election Process
The Courts
Judicial Independence
Voting Responsibilities
Which of the following are responsibilities of
American citizens?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Register to vote.
Educate themselves about candidates and
issues that will be on the ballot.
Learn the rules for voting in their stateearly voting, absentee voting, voting at the
polls.
all of the above
Voting is a shared right and responsibility
between American citizens and the
government. The government establishes and
protects our voting rights and it is each
voters responsibility to be informed and
educated about voting processes and
elections.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Florida voters have a lot of responsibility – they
have the final say on many offices and issues.
Which of the following are things they DON’T
have any say in?
governor and cabinet members
U.S. Senators & representatives; state senators &
representatives
county commissioners, school board members,
trial judges
proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution
cafeteria menus, TV schedules, school calendars,
weather conditions
But, voter’s voices are needed in a very broad
range of elections. Most national and state
officials are put in office by the voters.
Staying informed about current issues helps
voters decide which candidate they believe in
most for all kinds of jobs from U.S. Senators
to trial judges in your county’s courthouse.
Several Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
extend the right to vote to more people. With
the 26th Amendment, ratified almost 40
years ago, the voting age was lowered:
a.
b.
c.
d.
From
From
From
From
25
21
18
17
to
to
to
to
21
18
17
13
The 26th Amendment was ratified during the
time of the Vietnam War. The draft required
many eighteen year olds to enlist in the
military and fight in the war even though they
weren’t eligible to vote- since the minimum
voting age was 21. After a successful
campaign by young adults, the amendment
was ratified in only four months.
The 15th Amendment broke down racial
barriers to voting, which group of people
was granted voting rights with this
amendment?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Immigrants
Catholics and Jews
African American men
Soldiers
After the 14th Amendment made freed slaves
official citizens, the 15th Amendment
guaranteed all men the right to vote
regardless of their race, color, or history of
slavery. Even though the amendment
intended to create more equality, many states
found ways to prevent African Americans
from voting through poll taxes and literacy
tests.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Voting rights were officially extended to
women when the 19th Amendment was
ratified in 1920. Why was this amendment
significant?
Until then women had very little voice in
government.
Before this amendment, voting rights of
women were left up to the states.
Woman had felt they deserved equal rights
as men for many years.
All of the above.
For many decades women were actively
campaigning for the right to vote. Some
states allowed women to vote in state and
local elections. But, women wanted full
equality- the same voting rights as men. They
decided to fight for a constitutional
amendment.
The original Voting Rights Act of 1965 followed
the ratification of the 24th Amendment,
which ended discriminatory poll taxes. In
which way did the Voting Rights Act expand
the 24th Amendment?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The VRA outlawed any tactic used to keep
minorities from voting.
It required states to offer ballots in multiple
languages.
It allowed non-citizens living in the U.S. to vote.
It allowed people under the age of 18 to vote with
parental consent.
This law guarantees the right to vote to all
racial, ethnic, or language minority citizens.
The legislation forbids any discriminatory
practices that may prevent fair opportunities
for voters to participate in elections.
Before the 15th Amendment was added to our
constitution in 1870 to outlaw voting
discrimination based on race or color, who
was allowed to vote?
a.
b.
c.
d.
White males
Native Americans
White males and females who owned
property
Everyone over the age of 21
Before the 15th Amendment only adult white
males were guaranteed the right to vote and
many states had restrictions that required
them to own property as well. Ratified just
after the Civil War, the 15th Amendment
extended voting rights to all men of any race
or color.
How did the Helping America Vote Act contribute to
making elections fairer?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It required high schools to offer courses in voting
registration
It required voting machines allow voters to
double-check their choices before submitting
their ballot.
It required state governments to pay for
transportation to the polls on Election Day.
There is no such thing as the Helping America
Vote Act
After the confusion over
ballots in the 2000
election, The Helping
America Vote Act allowed
voters a chance to double
check their ballots for
accuracy before submitting
them. This helps to ensure
that all votes are counted
accurately.
In Florida, the three branches of government
are:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Governor, Chief Justice, Speaker of the
House
Cabinet, Judicial, Legislative
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Department of Revenue, Visit Florida,
County Courts.
The three branches of Florida (and national)
government are
Legislative: writes laws
o Executive: enforces laws
o Judicial: interprets laws
o
Which branch of government has the authority
to overturn results in a disputed election?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
Division of Elections
The Florida Supreme Court is the highest court
in Florida. Almost a century ago, the Florida
Supreme Court overturned the primary results
in a disputed governor’s race.
This led to the election of Florida’s only third
party governor to win office. Sidney Catts
became the 22nd governor of Florida in
1916.
The Florida Secretary of State is responsible for
certifying election results. Which branch of
government is this office a part of?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Executive
Judicial
The Press
Legislative
The Secretary of State is appointed by the
governor.
This official is the chief officer of elections,
cultural affairs, historical resources, the
Florida State Seal, and corporate records.
Florida election results were a part of the
controversy during the disputed Presidential
Election of 1876. The U.S. Congress formed a
15-member Electoral Commission to settle
the results. The U.S. Congress is which
branch of government?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Executive
Electoral College
Judicial
Legislative
Congress is divided into The Senate and The
House of Representatives. When Congress
settled the Presidential dispute in 1876,
Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Samuel Tilden.
vs.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Samuel J. Tilden
In the early 1900s, the Florida Legislature used
this tax to discourage African Americans from
voting:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sales Tax
Service Tax
Poll Tax
Electoral College Tax
Florida was one of 11 southern states that once
charged poll taxes. By making voters pay a tax at
voting time, many minorities who could not afford
the tax chose to not vote instead of paying.
In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution was ratified and outlawed the use of
poll taxes. Removing the poll tax made sure
everyone could vote no matter how much money
they had.
Candidates for president usually win when they
get the most votes- but not always. This is
because our nation’s founders established a
unique method of electing the president. This
method is called:
a. Direct Vote
b. Primary Election
c. Run-off Election
d. Electoral College
In the Electoral College, each state sends a
panel of electors to cast votes for a
presidential candidate based on the results
from their state. Electoral votes are
distributed to states based on their
population. As the fourth most populated
state, Florida has 27 electoral votes.
In election 2000, the many different types of
ballots caused voting problems. The most
controversial ballot was used in Palm Beach
County and was called:
a.
b.
c.
d.
The
The
The
The
butterfly ballot
write-in ballot
absentee ballot
optical scan
The Butterfly Ballot used in Palm Beach County
was criticized for being confusing and
difficult to use.
The voting method led to many voters
accidentally selecting more than one
candidate, making those ballots invalid.
How many states must approve a proposed
amendment for it to be added to the United
States Constitution?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Three-Fourths
Two-Thirds
Half
All
In order to amend the U.S. Constitution, the
Constitution requires that a three-fourths majority
of states must ratify the amendment.
In 1982, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment was
killed partially due to being voted down in the
Florida Senate shortly before its deadline. The
amendment would have guaranteed equal rights to
all citizens regardless of sex.
The Florida Constitution establishes what types
of courts?
a.
b.
c.
d.
City and State
Judge Judy and Law & Order
Trial and Appellate
All of the above
The Florida Constitution establishes two types
of courts: trial and appellate. Most cases
begin in trial courts, where guilt or innocence
is determined; or disputes between people
are settled.
Appellate courts make sure that everything that
happened in the trial court was fair.
Which of the following is not found in a trial
courtroom?
a. A jury
b. Witnesses
c. Justices
d. Court Reporters
“Justice” is the title used for judges who serve
at the Supreme Court level, which is the
highest appellate court. In trial courts,
a judge presides over the courtroom.
How many justices serve on the Florida
Supreme Court?
a.
b.
c.
d.
5
7
9
3
Maintaining an odd number of justices, such as
7, ensures that votes will not result in a tie.
Justices of the Florida Supreme Court
What happens when there is a vacancy on the
Florida Supreme Court?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The governor appoints a new justice.
The people of Florida vote for a new justice.
The current Supreme Court justices select
the new justice.
The president selects the new justice but
the state legislature gets to approve them
When an opening appears on the Supreme
Court, the governor fills the vacancy from a
list of 3-6 candidates. These candidates are
selected and reviewed by a special committee
of citizens called the Judicial Nominating
Commission.
Why is there no jury during oral arguments?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Juries read the case beforehand so they
don’t have to attend.
The jury hears the case and arguments
separately from the Justices.
There is a jury during oral arguments.
Since the trial has already happened, a jury
has already made a decision on the case.
Juries only appear in trial courts when an
original decision on a case is made. Cases
come to the Supreme Court or other appellate
courts to ask judges to reconsider something
about the trial that may have gone wrong or
been unfair- not to decide guilt or innocence.
What does Judicial Independence mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Judges must interpret laws and the constitution
how a governor or president wants them to.
Judges must use their best judgment based on
the law and the facts of the case.
Judges must pay attention to popular opinion and
if most people agree about something, judges
must rule that way.
Judges can do whatever they want
Judges are required to make decisions based
on the facts of the case and the law. This way,
cases are resolved without favoritism or
unfairness. This is called the rule of law.
What does “Interpret” mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
To explain
To tell the meaning of something
To clarify
All of the above
To interpret means to find the meaning of
something and then explain it. Some laws are
clear but others are more complicated and
people disagree on what the laws mean. Then
a judge or justice is needed to explain the
meaning of the law.
When judges interpret the law, which is more
important than the other?
Statutes (Laws passed by legislatures)
or
Constitutions (U.S. & State)
Constitutions outline what governments can
and cannot do.
A constitution can be changed only by voters,
so it is important that all laws or statutes
follow the U.S. and state constitutions.