Thank You for Voting: The Maddening, Enlightening, Inspiring Truth About Voting in America

Journalist Geiger Smith’s instructive debut combines a brisk history of voting rights in America with a comprehensive guide on how to vote, and how to convince others to do the same. She details the passage of the 14th Amendment in 1868 and subsequent efforts to disenfranchise black voters, and offers a refreshingly frank look at the campaign to win voting rights for women, acknowledging the racist tendencies of some white suffragists, while still celebrating their grit and accomplishments. Addressing the state of voting today, Geiger Smith highlights such organizations as We Vote Next, which educates young voters on the issues, and individuals including Andaya Sugayan, who visits high schools in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas to register young voters. Geiger Smith also discusses the negative impact of gerrymandering, and explains how to identify trustworthy news sources in order to get the most reliable information before deciding how to vote. Her illuminating and accessible account concludes with a checklist of items to complete before voting. This is an excellent resource for first-time voters and activists hoping to motivate young people to get to the polls. Agent: Daniel Kirschen, ICM Partners. (June)