The New Hampshire Primary is right around the corner, and while we know that elections are vital to our democracy–that doesn’t mean they’re simple. From election security, to misinformation, to voting rights and to gerrymandering, Civics 101 is your guide to elections, and your role in them.
Tune in to NHPR starting Monday, Jan.8 through Friday, Jan.12 for Civics 101’s Election Toolkit. Each episode will air at 1:00 p.m. and again later that evening at 7:00 p.m. If you missed the broadcast, you can also listen to all episodes below.
Monday, Jan 8
How to Vote and Why You Should It:
The United States is supposed to be a representative democracy. We vote for our leaders, and those leaders represent our interests. But it’s not so straightforward around here.
On Civics 101, New Hampshire Public Radio’s show on the basics of how our democracy works, we explore why you should vote anyway, and how to do it.
Tuesday, Jan 9
Disinformation, Misinformation, and Propaganda:
In preparation for the upcoming election, we’re going to talk about lies. Civics 101, New Hampshire Public Radio’s show about how our democracy works, dives into the difference between misinformation and disinformation, and how to avoid it. We’ll also talk about our government's history with propaganda.
Wednesday, Jan 10
How Secure Are Our Elections?
Be it suspicion of voter fraud, fear of hackers or the general belief that something is amiss, dozens of states have recently passed laws promising to make elections more secure. So how insecure are our elections? On Civics 101, New Hampshire Public Radio’s show about how our democracy works, we search for the answer to this question, and what these laws mean for voters.
Thursday, Jan 11
How Does Gerrymandering Work?
The word gerrymandering has become synonymous with weirdly-shaped maps of electoral districts, nefarious political maneuvering, and partisanship. But when did gerrymandering become the norm? Civics 101, New Hampshire Public Radio’s show about how our democracy works, explores the complicated history of the gerrymander, and how states draw their district maps.
Friday, Jan 12
Are We A Democracy or a Republic? Why Do We Have Two Dominant Parties?
Civics 101, New Hampshire Public Radio’s show about how our democracy works, has a tagline: we’re a show about the basics of how our democracy works. And there’s a complaint we get pretty often around here, that our tagline contains the word "democracy," but the United States is actually a republic. So...do we need to make a change? We dig into that question, and talk about how our two-party system compares to other countries.
