How to Teach About Presidential Elections
The presidential election process is the keystone to the U.S. political system, and thus it should be understood by everyone who participates in it. The election process begins when the candidates announce their intention to run and ends when the Electoral College meets to select a president and vice president in December following the general election. There are basically four phases to the process, and when teaching about presidential elections, it is helpful to divide the instruction into four parts.
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Instructions
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1
Teach about the primary process. Include how candidates announce their intent to run and how they campaign. Describe the differences between a primary and a caucus and point out the historical significance of a few primaries and caucuses such as the New Hampshire primary and the Iowa caucus. For advanced learners, you can address issues such as the McCain-Feingold Act and campaign financing, campaign strategies and prenomination debates.
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2
Transition into instruction about the two-party system and the national conventions. Give lessons on how the parties develop their platforms and how they select their candidates.
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3
Discuss the general election process and the difference between the popular vote and the electoral vote. Point out that each state has its own laws governing the execution of the general election polling. Include historically significant facts about the general election such as the Nixon-Kennedy debates and the Supreme Court involvement in the 2000 Bush-Gore election.
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4
Finish with a discussion about the Electoral College, including its history, constitutional roots and its purpose. Discuss the roles and qualifications for electors, including "unfaithful" electors. Include contingencies, such as the process to handle a deadlocked Electoral College.
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5
Finish the instruction with a lesson on the inauguration. Focus on historically significant inaugurations and include excerpts or transcripts from famous inaugural speeches.
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