This lesson is an analysis of election results, so is only intended for election years. Through examining and considering the election results against the understandings built in this unit as a whole, students will be able to begin a longer-term reflection on the effectiveness of the election process.
Suggested Curriculum Links
The broad nature of this lesson can be focused on the consequences of engagement or non-engagement in the political system. As such, this lesson can be best used to achieve some Indicators within the following Outcome:
Procedure
1. As a class, discuss civic election results. If more than one media source is available, teachers may want to discuss and compare reporting of the results. Possible items of discussion could include:
- What factors made the winner win and the losers lose?
- If there was a parallel election held in class, compare and discuss the results.
- What role did the local media play in the election?
- What role did social media play in the election?
- What promises were made? How can the winners be held accountable for these promises?
- How does the newly-elected council compare to the community’s diversity. Has your community made progress in this area?
- What were the most significant events of the campaign?
- Did the elected candidates receive 50% or more of the votes? If not, is the majority truly being represented by our electoral system?
- What was the voter turnout? How does this compare to other municipalities?
- What was the level of support for winning candidates when calculated as a percentage of the voting-age citizens as a whole?
- What do the results of this election mean for the municipality’s future?
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