Question

Before You Begin

Part One: Imagine that you have just voted in a local election. As you are walking out of the polling station, you notice a van of mentally disabled people out in front. As you walk past, you see the van driver give each of the people in the van a $20 bill and hear him tell the people to go inside and vote for the candidate that you want to win. He asks them to chant the name of the candidate over and over, until they understand what they are to do. What do you do?

Write a paragraph describing what you saw and what you should do next. Explore your feelings, and defend your actions. Remember to include what your responsibilities are as a citizen.

Part Two: It is brought to the attention of local authorities that, in the last election, someone paid a van full of mentally disabled people to vote for a candidate who won the election by just ten votes. The case has come to trial as a case of voter fraud. You are selected to serve on the jury. Write a brief summary of the case, then argue for each side of the case using 1-2 paragraphs per side.



Part Three: Now, imagine yourself in a room with the other jurors trying to decide the verdict in the case described in Part Two. Is this a criminal case or a civil case? Imagine yourself in the courtroom. What does the defendant look like? Does that make you think the defendant is guilty or not guilty? What are the lawyers saying? Is there any evidence that turns the tide, or is it just a steady stream of evidence that seems to favor one side?


Write an essay that sets the scene of the courtroom and the jurors' deliberations and decision on the case.

Begin by making an outline of the essay. Decide the details of the case, the courtroom and the jury's deliberations. Flesh out your topic paragraph and overall thesis for the essay. In a paragraph or two, thoroughly describe the key evidence, evidence that turns the tide or seems to weight the argument toward one direction. Explore the adjournment and how the jury deliberates. Offer differing viewpoints of the jury based on the different evidence. What do you think? How does the jury come to a unanimous decision? Write persuasively and clearly, taking into account how your emotions and perception may influence your decision about the case, the defendant, and the other jurors.

Use the Internet, newspapers, and other media outlets to learn about similar cases. Be sure to begin writing with an outline, and develop your arguments using correct grammar and sentence structure in order to make your point.

Answer 1

Part One: Because there are generally police officers present during local elections, I would most likely report the matter to one of the local police officers. I'd then proceed to tell the cops who was who and who was paid. If I had seen the license plate, I would have snapped a picture of it and shown it to the police officers.

Part Two: In one incidence of voter fraud, a van full of mentally challenged persons was paid to vote for a certain candidate in the previous election. The defendant is accused of masterminding the operation and paying susceptible people to vote for the candidate they favour. Voter fraud is a severe act that threatens the democratic process, hence the case is being tried as a criminal case. On the one hand, the prosecution claims that the defendant engaged in voting fraud by coercing mentally ill persons to vote for a certain candidate. They claim that this activity jeopardizes the election's integrity and is a blatant violation of the voting rights of individuals who were pressured. The prosecution offers testimony from witnesses who observed the defendant bribe voters to vote. The defense, on the other hand, claims that the defendant did not compel the voters and that they voted freely. They claim there is no proof that the defendant bribed votes and that the claims are based only on hearsay. The defense calls witnesses who attest that the people voted of their own free choice.

Part Three: I am seated in a chamber with the other members of the jury while we deliberate the case's verdict. The defendant, a man who seems to be in his early 20s, is tense, nervous, and perspiring throughout the proceedings. His attorneys contend that the claims are based only on rumor and that there is no hard proof to support the defendant's involvement in voter fraud.

The defense calls witnesses who observed the defendant buying votes from voters. The defense contends that because the witnesses are unable to offer conclusive proof to back up their statements, their testimony cannot be trusted. The defense calls witnesses who attest that the voters exercised their right to vote voluntarily.

The testimony of the witnesses who witnessed the defendant bribe voters to cast their ballots is the main piece of evidence in this case. This evidence shifts the balance in the prosecution's favor since it offers undeniable proof that the defendant engaged in voting fraud. The defense's evidence consists mostly of hearsay, but the prosecution's evidence is a continual stream of testimony from witnesses who witnessed the defendant in action.

The jury deliberates on the evidence heard throughout the trial during the break. The jury's opinions vary, with some considering the prosecution's evidence to be persuasive while others finding the testimony of the witnesses to be unreliable. However, as the jury proceeds to deliberate, the majority of them reach a unanimity that the defendant has engaged in voter fraud.

Summing it all up, Voter fraud is a serious act that undercuts the democratic process, to sum up. As a jury member, it is crucial to assess the testimony given during the trial and reach a conclusion based on the circumstances of the case. Even if our judgment may be influenced by our feelings and impressions, it's crucial to maintain objectivity and base your choice exclusively on the information that was given in court. Maintaining the democratic process' integrity allows us to make sure that every vote is cast fairly and without interference.

Answer 2

Part One:

As a citizen, my responsibility is to ensure that every vote is cast fairly and without coercion. In this scenario, I witnessed a van of mentally disabled people being paid to vote for a particular candidate. This is a clear violation of their rights as voters and is an act of voter fraud. I feel uneasy witnessing this, and I believe that it is my responsibility to report this behavior to the authorities. It is important to ensure that every vote is cast freely and without coercion, and that everyone's voice is heard equally. By reporting this, I am upholding the democratic process and ensuring that the integrity of the election is maintained.

Part Two:

The case of voter fraud involves the payment of a van full of mentally disabled people to vote for a specific candidate in the previous election. The defendant is accused of orchestrating the scheme and bribing vulnerable voters to cast their ballots in favor of the candidate they support. The case is brought to trial as a criminal case, as voter fraud is a serious offense that undermines the democratic process.

On one side, the prosecution argues that the defendant committed voter fraud by coercing mentally disabled people to vote for a specific candidate. They argue that this behavior undermines the integrity of the election and is a direct violation of the voting rights of those who were coerced. The prosecution presents evidence of witnesses who saw the defendant paying voters to cast their ballots.

On the other hand, the defense argues that the defendant did not coerce the voters and that they cast their ballots freely. They argue that there is no evidence to suggest that the defendant bribed voters, and that the accusations are based on hearsay. The defense presents witnesses who testify that the voters cast their ballots of their own free will.

Part Three:

As a member of the jury, I find myself in a room with my fellow jurors trying to determine the verdict of the case. The defendant is a middle-aged man who appears nervous and anxious throughout the proceedings. His lawyers argue that there is no concrete evidence to prove that the defendant committed voter fraud and that the accusations are based on hearsay.

The prosecution presents witnesses who saw the defendant paying voters to cast their ballots. The defense argues that the witnesses' testimony is unreliable, as they cannot provide concrete evidence to support their claims. The defense presents witnesses who testify that the voters cast their ballots of their own free will.

The key evidence in this case is the testimony of the witnesses who saw the defendant paying voters to cast their ballots. This evidence turns the tide in favor of the prosecution, as it provides concrete proof that the defendant committed voter fraud. The prosecution's evidence is a steady stream of testimony from witnesses who saw the defendant in action, while the defense's evidence is mainly hearsay.

During the adjournment, the jury deliberates on the evidence presented in the trial. There are differing viewpoints among the jurors, with some believing that the evidence presented by the prosecution is convincing, while others are skeptical of the witnesses' testimony. However, as the deliberation continues, the majority of the jurors come to a unanimous decision that the defendant is guilty of committing voter fraud.

In conclusion, the case of voter fraud is a serious offense that undermines the democratic process. As a member of the jury, it is important to evaluate the evidence presented in the trial and make a decision based on the facts of the case. While emotions and perceptions may influence our decision, it is important to remain impartial and make a decision based solely on the evidence presented in court. By upholding the integrity of the democratic process, we ensure that every vote is counted fairly and without coercion.