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The resources on this page have been selected by eLibraryMN and Minnesota Digital Library librarians and curators to support the MN English Language Arts and the Social Studies standards, both current and pending, specifically related to elections and voting. Resources in eLibraryMN and EbooksMN have unlimited simultaneous user access and are freely available to anyone geolocated in Minnesota. The primary source resources detailed are available to all, regardless of location.
Please reach out with questions or suggestions about linking to, using, or sharing these resources.
Academic Research
Below is a collection of available topic overviews that link to many related articles and resources within ELM.
EBSCO's Points of View Reference Center has a new interface, but its Points of View content with an Overview, Point/Counterpoint, and Guide to Critical Analysis features are still available. The following is a collection of some Election-related perspectives with their 4 accompanying points of view components, perfect for sharing with students.
EBSCO POV Should Election day be a national holiday?
EBSCO POV Same-Day Voter Registration
EBSCO POV Election Interference
ProQuest: Search current election news from today’s newspapers
Below is a collection of available topic overviews that link to many related articles and resources within ELM.
Another interesting perspective on elections is the Electoral College. What is the history of the electoral college, and what are some of the debates that people engage in about it?
Britannica Electoral College Overview
Points of View Reference Center: The Electoral College
Gale in Context High School Voting Overview
Finally, you can trust Gale to have several modalities for students to choose from when engaging with topics. Never forget to scroll to the bottom to look at the related topic collections as well.
Ebooks
This is a curated group of fiction and nonfiction ebooks, Grade Interest Level 9-12. All titles are available to students geolocated in MN without login. Linking directly to chapters is also possible. To link directly to the titles and share in your LMS or libguides, copy the link to the title(s) you want from our persistent link spreadsheet (if you are not accessing through the MackinVia app). Reach out to us with questions about linking.
Life in Numbers: The Electoral College
Explores the history of the Electoral College and how it works, discussing its strengths and weaknesses. Includes activities, resources for further information, and discussion questions.
Examines the intersection of race and voting law through history, discussing court cases, government actions, and efforts to gain equal voting rights for Native Americans, Asian Americans, and African Americans.
The 2000 Presidential Election
Discusses the people and events of the controversial 2000 presidential election, the results of which were not decided until over one month after election day.
Barack Obama is Elected President
Draws on primary sources to examine the election of African American U.S. president Barack Obama. Offers biographical information about Obama, his wife Michelle, his campaign manager, and his rival John McCain. Highlights events leading up to and following the election, and discusses how the election changed the United States. Includes a timeline, text-related questions, a glossary, photographs, and print and online resources for further information.
Primary Sources
Resources below are recommended by MDL curators from partners in primary source history.
Winona Library Association Board of Directors election results, 1885
Women in Minnesota could vote for school boards and library boards before they were able to vote in general elections.
President McKinley visits Duluth, 1899
While running for reelection in 1899, President William McKinley visited several places in Minnesota, including Duluth and Minneapolis.
City of Minneapolis election map, 1922
Cities towns like Minneapolis are divided into wards and districts to standardize the election process, and those they elect represent each district.
"How About the Vote Buyer?" by Bart, 1900-1940
Accusations over election tampering and buying votes are common during volatile election seasons, as this editorial cartoon illustrates.
Senator Ted Kennedy speaking at rally for Senator Wendell Anderson, 1978
Minnesota politicians support their allies across the country in their election campaigns, and their allies return the favor.
Joan Growe and Geraldine Ferraro at political rally, 1984
When Walter Mondale ran for president in 1984, he chose Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. She campaigned alongside the Minnesota Secretary of State candidate Joan Growe.
Sometimes the first experience young people have of voting is on college campuses. These students voted at a polling place located at St. Cloud State University.
Primary Source Set: Women's Suffrage
Explore resources related to the women's suffrage movement in Minnesota.
Interlibrary Loan/Resource Sharing
For in depth research into these topics, sometimes you need to request materials from other libraries. These can be digital or they can sometimes be printed books. There are two main options for requesting these materials. One, MNLINK, allows you to search all Minnesota libraries for the requires the use of a public library card and PIN. While many educators use their own library card to help students, it is recommended that students use their own. However, this is not always possible, so there is a second option: Minitex Resource sharing for schools. This allows one staff member per school to request items on behalf of students and have the items sent directly to the school building. If you have questions about which option is better for you and your students, reach out to us and we can help.