AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 4 (1998)

5 POINTS TOTAL

Part (a): 2 points possible
Part (b): 3 points possible



Part (a): 2 points possible:
1 point for identification of demographic characteristic AND for discussion which links the characteristics to nonvoting

Possible demographic characteristics:
• age
• region
• class (income)
• religion
• education
• race/ethnicity
• residence

Part (b): 3 points possible:
1 point for identification of institutional obstacle AND for discussion which links the obstacle to nonvoting

Possible institutional obstacles:
• registration/residence requirements (Motor Voter is not an obstacle)
• more elections
• longer ballot/complexity of ballot
• fewer choices because of the two party system
• single day, Tuesday voting
• no penalty for not voting
• restrictive absentee voting requirements
• citizenship (discussion must include requirements such as waiting 7 years to apply)
• people registered as independents in closed primary states (must be clear student is talking about primary elections)
• disenfranchisement of institutionalized populations (felons)


Discussion may be a description or an explanation of the relationship

True statements about nonvoting do not get credit unless they are linked to each demographic characteristic or institutional obstacle


Score of zero (0) for attempted answer that earns no points
Score of dash (-) for blank or off-task answer