DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

AND

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS



Posc 150



WHY DON'T PEOPLE VOTE?

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

SPONSORED BY

THE NATIONAL CIVICS ASSOCIATION

(SOME MORE EXTRA CREDIT)

Worth Up to 10 Points

Note: you should see the version of this document on the class web page for examples.

The National Civics Association (a hypothetical group patterned after the League of Women Voters) is disturbed by the downward spiral in voting turnout. Since 1960 fewer and fewer eligible voters participate in presidential and congressional elections. The Association plans to sponsor "get-out-the-vote" drives in 2000 but doesn't have the money to mount a national campaign. Hence it wants to target groups of citizens who vote less than average. It's willing to spend $100,00 to $200,000 on consultants who can identify the kinds of people most likely to respond to such a effort. Hence it's distributing this request for proposal (RFP). You can, if you wish, apply.

In order to win this contract you need to convince the Association that you and your associates have the skills to collect, present, and interpret survey data. Naturally it also has to have confidence that you can produce an intelligible report in a short span of time.

This proposal should demonstrate that you can find the "correlates" of voting participation; that is, you can identify traits that are connected to low and high rates of turnout. You might find, for example, that unmarried people vote less regularly than married couples. If so, the Association would have to modify (perhaps) its information and persuasion campaigns.

To prepare your proposal you need to rely on data from a reliable source. Undoubtedly the best survey data pertaining to voting data come from the Center for Political Studies and are presented in biannual "national election studies." Although the data are of the highest quality, they do require care in handling and interpreting. It's no small task. On the other hand, the rewards can be substantial for not only can you compete for this "award" but you will gain invaluable experience.

The Association (and it alone) makes the final decision whether to award you the contract. Moreover, it relies solely on its judgment. Simply submitting a proposal does not guarantee you anything.

The Association needs your presentation by Novermber 15, 2000 at the latest.

Here are guidelines, directions, and tips. Read them carefully because the analysis system you will use requires exact spelling and punctuation. You can earn up to 8 points of extra credit. But as always nothing is guaranteed, no matter how hard you work or how much time you spend.

Go to American Political System page

Go to H. T. Reynolds page