Election 2012 - Middle and High School

www.generationnation.org | facebook.com/generationnation | twitter.com/gennation

Election 2012

Grades 6-12



Election vocabularyVote

– Make a decisionCandidate

– A person running for officeOffice

– An elected role in governmentReferendum

– A public vote on a question, policy or issueElectoral College

– Constitutional process by which the President is elected by state representatives, or Electors


Political parties

Groups of people who have similar ideas

Major US political parties• Democrats www.democrats.org • Republicans www.gop.com • Libertarians www.lp.org

Some government offices are nonpartisan• The individual candidates can have political ideas but

don’t officially run as members of a political party• Includes school board and judges

http://www.democrats.org/

http://www.gop.com/

http://www.lp.org/


On the ballot

PresidentGovernorUS House of RepresentativesMecklenburg ballot

– County Commission– Student referendum– Optional online ballot is available containing ALL offices on adult ballot


President

President– 4-year term

Role– Makes decisions– Works with Congress– Works with other countries– Follows and enforces U.S. laws– Leads the military– Represents the United States


Candidates

Barack Obama (D) Mitt Romney (R) Gary Johnson (L)


Governor Governor

– 4-year terms Role

– Reports to the General Assembly on the business of North Carolina

– Recommends a budget to the General Assembly and administers a balanced budget

– Leads the state’s military forces (except when forces are called into action by the US)

– Names state officers, such as judges– Signs North Carolina laws


Candidates

Walter Dalton (D) Pat McCrory (R) Barbara Howe (L)


U.S. House of Representatives

Representative– 2-year terms

Role includes:– Represents North Carolina residents in Congress– Makes decisions– Works with the Senate to create and approve legislation– Initiates revenue bills, including taxes– Can impeach officials– Elects the President in the event of an electoral deadlock


Congressional Districts

Mecklenburg– Mostly 9 & 12– Small part of 8

Region (approx. locations)– 5 – North of Charlotte– 8 – East of Charlotte– 9 – Parts of Mecklenburg,

Union, and Iredell– 10 – West of Charlotte– 12 – Along I-85

5

89

12

10Charlotte

Look up your districthttp://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/webapps/redistrict/NCRedistrictMapSingle.html?2468608,,Congressional,2011


CandidatesDistrict 9

If you live in District 9, vote for one (1) candidate in your party– Jennifer Roberts (D)– Robert Pittenger (R)– Curtis Campbell (L)



If you live in District 12, vote for one (1) candidate in your party– Mel Watt (D)– Jack Brosch (R)



If you live in District 8, vote for one (1) candidate in your party– Larry Kissell (D)– Richard Hudson (R)



If you live in District 5, vote for one (1) candidate in your party– Elisabeth Motsinger (D)– Virginia Foxx (R)



If you live in District 10, vote for one (1) candidate in your party– Patsy Keever (D)– Patrick McHenry (R)


County Commission

Governing body for Mecklenburg County• 3 At-Large members represent entire county; 6 District

members represent districts

Responsibilities of the BOCC include:• Adopt the annual county budget• Set the property tax rate• Define county priorities and policies (health, safety,

education, environment, social services)• Hire the county manager, a professional who manages

the daily operations of the county


Candidates

At-Large (vote for 3)• Pat Cotham (D)• Trevor Fuller (D)• Kim Ratliff (D)• Jason Bateman (L)• Michael Hobbs (R)• James Peterson (R)• Wayne Powers (R)


Candidates

Districts (vote for one candidate in your district)• District 1: Keith Bradford (D), Karen Bentley (R)• District 2: Vilma Leake (D), Kevin Spitzmiller (R)• District 3: George Dunlap (D)• District 4: Dumont Clarke (D)• District 5: Paula Harvey (D), Matthew Ridenhour (R)• District 6: Connie Green-Johnson (D), Bill James (R)

– Look up your district• By CMS school address (or find closest school to your location as a guide):

http://www.generationnation.org/documents/2012electiondistricts.pdf


Student referendum

Local officials want to know what YOU think! Make your voice heard.

• City• County• CMS/Schools questions

All students are invited to participate – you do not have to attend CMS or live in the city to have an opinion!


City

City officials are thinking about a plan to make the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County one unit of government instead of having 2 different governments, groups of officials, and budgets within the same community.– Do you agree with this idea?

• Yes• No


County

You are a leader deciding on next year’s county budget. You have extra money. What will you do with the extra funds?

• Make the community nicer (parks, libraries, environment)

• Help people in need (health, job training, social services)

• Save the money for future uses• Lower county taxes


Schools – Question 1

Which new magnet school program would you like to see at CMS?

• Museum• Health and Wellness• Teaching• Broadcast and Communication• Leadership• Residential (live on campus)



To help you learn better, what do you need more of in your classroom?

• Technology• Guest speakers to talk about real work and life

experiences• Opportunities for real-world problem solving• Partner with similar classrooms across the US/world



Which new Career and Technical Education program would you like to see at CMS?

• Cosmetology (beauty services)• Automotive• Construction• Horticulture (plants, gardening, landscaping)• Culinary (cooking, food)


Read, think, decide

1. Learn about the candidates

2. Think about the information

3. Choose candidates you like best

4. Vote

5. After the election, keep track of the

candidates & their promises and actions


Read and learn

Start with an issue YOU care about– Education, environment, safety, transportation,

economy/jobs, children, neighborhoods, teachersFind information about the candidates

• GenerationNation www.generationnation.org/k12in2012 – Includes candidate debate videos and other information

• Charlotte Observer www.charlotteobserver.com• NC Voter Guide www.ncvoterguide.org

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/


Think

Does this information help me?Is it from a good, truthful source?Does it fit with other facts I know?How does it make me feel?Do I know enough to make a decision?

• If not, learn and read more• Tip: Focus on the individual candidates, their ideas and

solutions instead of political parties


Choose a candidate

Review– What did each candidate say? Did they…

• Have ideas or solutions…• …or complain a lot?• Ask questions?

Decide– Which one do you agree with the most?– Based on the information you know, do you think

the candidate will do a good job?


Vote

Who do YOU think should win in Election 2012? Make your voice heard!– K-12 students vote Oct. 22-Nov. 6– www.generationnation.org – Results announced November 6 (evening)

Voting options• Vote at school• Vote online, anywhere• Vote at Kids Voting booths at designated polling places

on Oct. 27, Oct. 29, Nov. 3 and Nov. 6


After the election Look for official election results

– Adult vote• Board of Elections www.meckboe.org and www.ncsbe.gov • Media www.charlotteobserver.com

– Student vote• www.generationnation.org and www.facebook.com/GenerationNation • Did students elect different candidates?

Keep track of the winning candidates– Do they keep their campaign promises?– Do they make good decisions?

Stay involved– Watch or attend government meetings, write letters or email officials

http://www.meckboe.org/

http://www.ncsbe.gov/

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/