Starting the first few weeks of school, your child will participate in a year-long government unit in which students are elected as President, Senate Leader, House Leader, and Treasurer, and remaining students participate in the Legislative Branch as either a Senator or Representative.

We begin our student government activity sometime in mid-September, after the new class has had a chance to get to know each other and understand the classroom rules. Anyone interested in running for one of the four class officer positions will fill out an ‘application to run for office’. (That application will need a signature from Mom or Dad). Candidates will address the class and explain why they think they would be a good leader. The class votes by secret ballot. We use a different ballot for the first and second term elections.

With no experience about what the different Class officers will be required to do, how do you know who to vote for? For the first term election candidates do not run for a specific office. The four elected offices are President, Senate Leader, House Leader, and Treasurer. The student with the most votes will choose which of the four positions they would like to try for the first term.  Then the student with the second most votes chooses from the remaining three offices, and so on. Candidates should decide in advance what their first, second and third choice will be. Tie votes are settled with a coin toss.

When the election is complete and the new officers are selected, the rest of the class is divided into the two houses of the legislative branch. Six students will be Senators, and the rest will become members of the House of Representatives. We use a lottery to determine who gets to go where.  Every student draws a ticket that is marked either Senate or House.

By the 2^nd term in January, everyone understands the responsibilities of each office and may even have some different ideas about how to do things, so candidates campaign for a specific position. The 2nd term officially starts at the beginning of the 3^rd report card marking period. Keep an eye on the newsletter in late December and early January for the date of the election, and when campaigning will be allowed.

Rules to remember when campaigning:

*One poster may be displayed in the classroom (maximum size 18 x 24 inches – large sheet of construction paper)
*Campaign stickers, cards and fliers may be handed out to classmates.
*NO candy or other gifts may be distributed.

Each candidate will make a short speech explaining why they think they are the best choice for the job. Their speech must concentrate on their own good qualities, and may not voice complaints or criticisms about other candidates. After each  speech, the class will have an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates in order to help them cast an informed vote