Voter Ignorance

Write an essay about voter ignorance. Is voter ignorance a serious problem? Why or why not? To what extent does it affect federal politics and policy? To the extent that it is a problem, are there practical and feasible things that can be done to improve the situation? What would those be? Consider also: What are the most important things that voters should know about the federal politics and policy? As you discuss these issues, make sure you engage with the “rational ignorance” idea – i.e., the idea that, because there is a miniscule chance that one’s vote will tip an election, it is irrational for people to expend effort to learn about politics and government in order to make a better, more informed vote. (See Johnson, pp. 20-22. Kernell et al., Chapter 11, also discusses the concept. Note that the same idea undergirds the idea of “rational abstention” (from voting); but this essay assignment is about voter knowledge, not about voter turnout in elections.) There are no explicitly right or wrong answers to these questions.