Happy Election Day!

It’s that time of year again! Thanksgiving? No, of course not! It’s election season!

Elections are held every year on the second Tuesday of November (for those of you keeping track, that’d be today. Make sure you go vote!). Although the highest profile elections are the presidential and congressional elections, there is always an election ongoing. As such, the end of October and beginning of November is a great time to teach some of those yearly citizenship and government standards. Here at Ohio History Connection, we want to get students involved in the civic process early. Here are several ideas you can use to help teach elections:

• Put on a school election with your students! Our Ohio as America curriculum has an entire section dedicated to helping a 4^th grade classroom put on the school election, but any classroom grade can get involved. Younger grades can help get students registered to vote using our “School Voter Registration Form” form (modeled after Ohio’s actual voter registration forms). Older grades can decide what to put on the ballot by creating their very own ballots and initiatives using our “School Ballot” form (also modeled after an Ohio voter ballot). If you’re worried about students getting too partisan, have students create a non-political ballot (you will never find a more polarizing question than “Is a hot dog a sandwich?”). And, of course, any grade can help bring out the vote by writing editorials, making posters, giving speeches, and creating rallies. On the day of, students can help run the school election by manning the school polls, collecting ballots, and tallying up the results.
• Explore one of the most important elections in history with our Ohio Women Vote: 100 Years of Change resource and suffrage activities (we have several for grades 6^th and up!)
• Challenge your students with a game show put on by Ohio History Connection with our “So You Know The Election” and “So You Know The Government” virtual learning experiences.
• If your students are in high school have them submit an application to their local county election board to be a precinct election official. Nothing can get a student more fired up about elections than being a part of the actual process (plus, they get paid!)

And remember, the best way to build citizenship in your students is to model it. Vote early, vote often!

Got an idea for an election activity? What’s your go-to school ballot question? Submit your ideas and comments at [email protected].

Blog Image Citation: “Wood County Board of Elections Office.” Photograph. 1960-1979. Wood County Bicentennial Collection. Audiovisual material. Wood County District Public Library. https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll96/id/4 . (Accessed October 31, 2022).