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MOCK PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Grade level middle school 6-8 grades

Overview: Exercise helps students understand the process of electing a president by each student's participation. They can understand the power of being an informed voter and what effect it may have on their lives.

Purpose: The best citizen is an informed citizen.

Exercise builds leadership and confidence in students, teaches students how to compromise for the common good.

Video: Voting: The Root of Democracy is an educational tool so the students become familiar with voting and other roots of democracy such as founding fathers, constitution, American Revolution, some historical points on segments of the society unable to vote earlier in our country's history, and immigrants.

Divide the students into two groups.
Each group should select a name for their party.
Each group is divided into two committees to caucus: Platform Committee to decide on issues they feel represents their party; Advertising Committee: strategy to publicize their party's issues and their candidate, i.e., newspapers, TV, radio, internet, leaflets
Each group selects their candidate from a number of students willing to serve by secret ballot.
Chosen candidate from each group prepares his/her speech for a debate. The candidate practices his/her speech before group for suggestions
The two candidates debate
The potential voter listens intently: Which candidate shows leadership, makes positive remarks rather than negative remarks, watch for the candidate who inspires them to vote, and which candidate persuades that his/her potential administration can best run the country and address citizens' needs.
Each group makes sure everyone is registered to vote.
(Election Day) The voters go to their precinct polling location, once they arrive at the precinct, they quickly look over the ballot, mark their secret ballot and place it in the electronic machine.
Winning candidate makes a victory speech
Victory party (optional) cookies, juice

Marian Dodd