By Collection Management Librarian Kathy
Books about voting and democracy tend to spike during an election year. This year is no different. These recent titles will help you learn more about how the system works and why voting matters. Get details, deadlines, and voter information for the November 3 election »
Get out the vote!
Campaigns & Elections by Dennis W. Johnson
Why you should try it: If you are looking for a good, general overview of our election process, this is the book for you.
Description: This book addresses fundamental questions about who votes in American elections, how legislative districts are reapportioned and why it matters, the realities of voter fraud, the pros and cons of reforming the Electoral College, the impact of dark money on campaigns, and the role of political consultants and specialists, among other topics.
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Thank You for Voting by Erin Geiger Smith
Why you should try it: For a brief history of voting rights, information on voting in general, and how to get others to participate. There is also a young readers' edition.
Description: A journalistic examination of the ongoing fight for voting equality shares insights into why so few Americans vote, citing the role of corporations in encouraging voter turnout while outlining innovative approaches to voter education and motivation.
Stream & download with: Media on Demand & Libby (ebook)
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What You Need to Know About Voting & Why by Kim Wehle
Why you should try it: Learn all the ins and outs of voting from a U.S. Constitutional scholar.
Description: Presents information about different aspects of the voting process, including registration, mail-in ballots, primary elections, the Electoral College, and the importance of voting in the general election.
Stream & download with: Media on Demand & Libby (ebook)
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Say It Louder! by Tiffany D. Cross
Why you should try it: Find out how the extremely limited representation of Black voices in mainstream media has been detrimental to our democracy and how it can change.
Description: A Washington D.C. insider discusses both the historical and current influence of African Americans in our electoral process and offers ideas for how they can use their rising power to affect elections and overcome voter suppression efforts.
Stream & download with: Media on Demand & Libby (ebook)
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Drawing the Vote by Tommy Jenkins
Why you should try it: Are you a visual learner? This illustrated guide is perfect for teens and adults.
Description: Coinciding with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Drawing the Vote, an original graphic novel, looks at the history of voting rights in the United States and how it has affected the way we vote today.
Stream & download with: Hoopla (ebook)
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Democracy in One Book or Less by David Litt
Why you should try it: If it seems that our government no longer represents the people, author Litt explains why you might feel that way.
Description: The democracy you live in today is different, completely different, than the democracy you were born into. Since 1980, the number of Americans legally barred from voting has more than doubled. Since the 1990s, odds of living in a competitive Congressional district have fallen by more than half. In the 21st century alone, the amount of money spent on Washington lobbying has increased by more than 100 percent.
Stream & download with: Media on Demand & Libby (ebook)
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A User's Guide to Democracy by Nick Capodice
Why you should try it: Remember Schoolhouse Rock? This is like that but in book version.
Description: The hosts of New Hampshire’s Public Radio’s Civics 101 podcast and a New Yorker cartoonist present this handy reference in which everything there is to know about how the U.S. government works is provided.
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Our Time Is Now by Stacey Abrams
Why you should try it: If your first love is biography and memoir, but you also are concerned about voter suppression, this book expertly combines the personal and political.
Description: Stacey Abrams draws on extensive national research from her voter rights organization, Fair Fight Action, and her 2020 Census effort, Fair Count, as well as moving and personal anecdotes from her own life to explore the issue of voter suppression and identity—who is really American and what that means.
Stream & download with: Media on Demand & Libby (ebook)
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This Is What Democracy Looked Like by Alicia Yin Cheng
Why you should try it: A fascinating way to explore the history of voting rights.
Description: An exploration of U.S. ballots from the 19th and 20th centuries, this visual history reveals unregulated, outlandish, and absurd designs that reflect the changing face of the voting public.
Stream & download with: Hoopla (ebook)
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About Kathy
Kathy is a Collection Management Librarian who loves reading, sharing, and talking about books. Her missions in life are to: create communities of readers, convince folks that her official title should be "Book Pusher," and refute that "disco" is a dirty word.
