Government & Elections Archives - Close Up Foundation

Government & Elections Teaching the News

Responding to Increasing Political Violence: Addressing Partisan Hate in Schools

September 16, 2025

The murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 was another act of political violence at a time when political violence seems to be on the rise in the United States.1 A poll released in July 2025 found that three-quarters of Americans view political violence as a serious threat, with the number reaching […]

The Rise and Impact of Phone Bans in U.S. Public Schools

September 12, 2025

In recent years, cell phones have moved from novelty to necessity in daily life, but in U.S. public schools, they’ve also become a battleground. Facing growing concerns about distraction, mental health, and safety, state legislatures and school boards across the country are implementing bans on student phone use during the school day. Supporters say the […]

Teens at the Ballot Box: The United Kingdom Lowers the Voting Age to 16

August 22, 2025

In July 2025, the United Kingdom approved a change to lower the national voting age from 18 to 16, set to take effect before the next general election. The decision will give roughly 1.6 million teenagers the right to vote in all UK elections, a shift that supporters say will invigorate democracy and critics warn […]

Should the Department of Education Be Abolished?

March 17, 2025

On March 3, the Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the thirteenth secretary of education.1 Secretary McMahon has pledged to dismantle the Department of Education in what she calls its “final mission,” and on March 11, the Department announced it was cutting nearly 50 percent of its workforce.2 President Donald Trump is expected to sign an […]

The Second Trump Presidency

January 21, 2025

Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025. In his first day in office, President Trump signed 26 executive orders, the most in recent history. In contrast, President Joe Biden signed nine on his first day in office and President Trump signed just one when he was […]

Government & Elections

Why Voting Matters: How Laws and Systems Shape Our Elections and Affect Voters

October 30, 2024

The Importance of Our Right to Vote The 2020 election marked the highest voter turnout of the 21st century at 67 percent—the highest since 1900. In a country with a rich history of struggle and sacrifice for the right to vote, why do so many Americans remain disengaged? Despite the monumental battles for voting rights, […]

Young Americans’ Views of the Presidential Election

October 21, 2024

In this final post of a three-part series, we continue exploring the results of the “Reimagining Political Leadership: The Outlook of Young Americans” survey focused on the political attitudes of Americans aged 18-34. The survey was designed by the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University in partnership with Future Caucus and the […]

What Young Americans Seek in Political Leaders

October 02, 2024

On September 17, the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University released results of a poll that focused on the views of Americans ages 18-34. The survey was designed by the Sine Institute in partnership with Future Caucus and Close Up Foundation and was based on interviews conducted by Generation Lab, a data […]

Young Americans’ Views on U.S. Democracy

September 23, 2024

On September 17, the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University released results of a poll that focused on the views on Democracy of Americans ages 18-34. The survey was designed by the Sine Institute in partnership with Future Caucus and Close Up Foundation and was based on interviews conducted by the Generation […]

Government & Elections Immigration

The Congressional Border Deal

February 08, 2024

On Sunday, February 4, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled a compromise bill intended to address border security concerns and to provide further funding for Ukraine’s military defense against Russia.1 In this post, we will examine the immigration-related contents of the compromise legislation and explore different perspectives about the border security bill. What Is in […]