In this portfolio, you will hold a mock (pretend) election. The election will be for the post of mayor in an imaginary town that faces challenges related to crime, education, and the condition of its roads and bridges.

Question

How to conduct your simulated election
Select the link below to find the candidate profiles. If you are connected to a printer, you can print them and distribute. If you do not have a printer, you can hand-copy the information and pass it around.
Make sure that as many of your friends and family get to see them as possible.
Ask them to consider each candidate’s positions on the issues, and then pick the one they would vote for. Try to get at least 10 votes.
Hold an exit poll by asking voters why they chose the candidate they did.
Tally the votes (see tally sheet sample below) and declare a winner. If none of the candidates gets a majority of the votes, hold a run-off election.How to conduct a run-off election
If no candidate wins on the first ballot, you must hold a run-off election.
Eliminate the candidate who got the fewest votes
Ask your voters to choose between the remaining two candidates.
Hold an exit poll by asking the voters why they chose the run-off candidate that they did. Did they switch candidates?
Tally the votes and declare a winner.
How to report your election results
Write two-three paragraphs in which you analyze the results of your mock election. To do this, list how many votes each candidate received.
Introduce the winner of the election. Describe his or her qualifications and background. Explain why you think he or she was the most popular choice.
Use quotes from your exit polls to help explain why this candidate appealed o the voters.
Submit these paragraphs, your exit poll(s), and your tally sheet(s) for your portfolio grade.
Sample Exit Poll
Candidate 1 Name Candidate 2 Name Candidate 3 Name
Voter 1 voted for Candidate 2 because her campaign promises seemed more aligned to the voter's concerns.
Voter 2 voted for Candidate 3 because the candidate has been a close personal friend for many years, and he trusts the candidate's word.
Voter 3 voted for Candidate 1 because Candidate 1's qualifications were superior to the other 2 candidates.

Sample Tally Sheet
Candidate 1 Name Candidate 2 Name Candidate 3 Name
3 votes 6 votes 1 vote
100 ml 150 ml 150 ml
Results: Candidate 2 wins the election.Candidate: Amanda Whitman
Education: law degree; master’s degree in urban planning
Qualifications: lawyer; former director of city zoning board
Background: Amanda Whitman was born and raised locally. She has built a
successful legal practice and is known for taking on legal cases for poor clients pro
bono (free of charge). She has also served as the director of the city zoning board.
Policy Statement: “Education, law enforcement, and maintenance of the city’s
infrastructure (roads and bridges) are all important issues. I support a balanced
approach to addressing these issues. Our crime rate has risen, but only by a small
margin, and mostly in non-violent categories. There is no need to overreact.
Likewise, our students are lagging behind national averages in math and science
but only by small margins. Once again, we don’t need to dramatize the situation.
Our roads and bridges also need improvement, but we already devote a large
portion of the city budget to this problem. Why spend even more on a problem that
is already getting plenty of attention? If elected, I will submit a budget to the city
council that evenly divides our available funds. The school system, the police
department, and the city transit authority would each get one third of our
discretionary (optional) spending fund. I would ask the superintendent of schools,
the chief of police, and the director of the city transit authority for detailed plans on
how best to use these funds to benefit the city and its citizens.”
Candidate: Dr. Caroline Perkins
Education: Ph.D. in education
Qualifications: former teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools
Background: Dr. Perkins moved to our city as a young teacher soon after
graduating from college. She has devoted thirty-four years to the public school
system. She has also maintained balanced education budgets throughout her four�year tenure as school superintendent.
Policy Statement: “Education is the single most important obligation we have to
the children of our city. Our students are lagging behind national averages in
several key areas. I believe improving student achievement should be our top
priority. If we strengthen our schools, we will strengthen our entire community.
Students educated in strong school systems make better employees and are less
likely to become involved in criminal behavior. Controlling crime is important, as is
improving the condition of our roads and bridges, but our schools should still be our

Answer 1

top priority. If elected, I will prioritize increasing funding for education and implementing programs to improve student achievement. I believe that investing in our schools will have a positive ripple effect throughout our city.”

Candidate: John Martinez
Education: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering
Qualifications: engineer with experience in infrastructure projects
Background: John Martinez grew up in a neighboring town and moved to our city
after graduating from college. He has worked as a civil engineer for the past twenty
years, specializing in infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.
Policy Statement: “Our city is facing challenges in multiple areas, including crime,
education, and infrastructure. As a civil engineer, I believe I am uniquely qualified
to address the issues related to the condition of our roads and bridges. I have
extensive experience in planning and executing infrastructure projects and can
ensure that our city’s infrastructure is safe and reliable. While education and crime
are also important issues, I believe that addressing our infrastructure needs should
be our top priority. If elected, I will prioritize funding for infrastructure projects
and work to improve the condition of our city’s roads and bridges.”