Name: _________________________

Date: _________________
Station Group Activity
Direction: You will be completing this paper in groups and discussing each station with your
partners. Make sure to read the provided instructions to understand the context of the activity.
You will need to demonstrate an understanding of the topic through thoughtful responses. Also,
you will be collaborating with peers to exchange ideas and perspectives, and developing concise
and effective communication skills through discussion question responses. Your answers to the
provided questions do not need to be in complete sentences. Try your best to complete all the
questions with the time given to you!

Learning Targets:

* I can describe the electoral process, as well as define the electoral college, plurality, majority,
and magic number.
* I can examine primary and secondary sources throughout the history of campaigning and the
election process.
*I can explain and describe the impact campaigning has on societal issues, trends, and events.
* I can evaluate how the role of money can influence a campaign and election process.

Standards:

* SS.GOV.COMGOVSYS- Analyze Political Structures

* SS.HIS.EVIDENCE- Evidence from Primary & Secondary Sources

HOW: I can cooperate and be a positive presence.

Portraits of a Graduate:
* Confidence
* Critical Thinking
Station 1: Electoral College Map Sheet and Questions (5-10 minutes)
In station 1, you are going to be reviewing the electoral college process through diagrams and reading
the questions carefully. You will be required to answer all questions, but you do not need to answer with
complete sentences. Make sure you read the basic facts and ideas section before continuing with the
following questions.

The presidential election should be viewed as 51 separate elections for electoral votes (50 States and
Washington D.C). This makes presidential elections different from any other election in the United
States. Here are the basic facts and ideas that explain this system:

1. Each state’s electoral college vote total is the sum total of the number of seats in the House that
state has plus its two Senate seats. Example: California has an electoral college number of 54.
That means California has 52 seats in the House of Representatives, and 2 seats in the Senate.

2. The candidate who wins the most votes in a state gets all the electoral votes of that state. So,
if candidate Homer Simpson receives 2,000,000 votes in California, and if candidate
Montgomery Burns receives 1,999,999 votes, then candidate Simpson gets a plurality and
receives all 54 electoral votes in the state.

3. Plurality vote: the largest amount of total votes (1 more than your opponent). A
candidate needs to win a plurality of voters to win a state.

4. Majority vote: one more than half of the total possible (270 is 1 more than ½ of 538) A
candidate must win the majority of electoral votes to become president.

5. The key to victory is to win enough votes to total 270 (a majority of the total of 538) electoral
votes.

6. Magic number: the total amount of electoral college votes needed to become President
(currently, 270 is the magic number)

1. To be elected to the presidency, what number of electoral votes must a candidate get?

2. What kind of vote would win the election for that candidate a majority or a plurality?
3. What is the nickname for the total amount of electoral college votes needed to win the
election called?

4. What vote would be needed to win all electoral votes in a state, a majority or a plurality?

5. Look at the electoral college map on the bottom of this page. What five states with the
most electoral college votes should a candidate focus on in order to help them get
elected? List each state’s electoral college number as well. (You may need to look up the
2024 electoral college list)
California

54

6. What six states have the least electoral votes?

7. What makes up a state’s electoral college number?

plus
Barack H. Obama (I) Democratic 332 65,915,795

W. Mitt Romney Republican 206 60,933,504

Donald J. Trump Republican 304 62,984,828

Hillary R. Clinton Democratic 227 65,853,514

Joseph R. Biden Democratic 306 81,268,867

Donald J. Trump (I) Republican 232 74,216,747

Station 2: Watch a Video on PACs and Super PACs, What Are They?
In this station, you will need to watch both videos and answer the following questions. Make
sure to complete the questions as clearly as possible (again, you do not need complete
sentences).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbH-COfpk30
(I recommend turning the closed captions/subtitles on)

Questions for Video 1:

1. How are politicians able to get ads for social media, raise money for campaigns, and be
able to travel?

2. What is a PAC?

3. What are the three types of PACs? How are they funded?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnd69XtKeMk
(I recommend watching with closed captions/subtitles on)

Questions for Video 2:

1. What is the acronym for PACs?

2. What are PACs most often used by? Give TWO examples.

3. Finish the sentence: Traditional PACs cannot…?

4. How much money can PACs spend on advertisement (ads)?

5. How much money can Super PACs take from individuals, corporations, and unions?

6. How often does the Super PAC contribution and spending increase? During what?

Station 3: Quick Read Primary vs Caucuses

For this station, you are required to thoroughly read through the USA.gov article on
presidential primaries and caucuses. You will answer the questions, but they do not have to be
complete sentences. Make sure to answer the questions and read carefully through the article.
https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html
https://www.usa.gov/primaries-caucuses

Questions on the reading USA.gov:

1. What is a presidential primary?

2. What is a caucus?

3. What are the three types of primary and caucuses? Write a short definition.

4. Look at states who have primaries, for each table in the link, list the state and what type
of primary that state is affiliated with. What is Maine’s affiliation with presidential
 primaries? (There should be 5 tables, list what election type they are) (Link:
https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/state-primary-election-types)

5. What election is upcoming and when? (Look at the first link listed…)

Station 4: Campaign Finance & the Role of Money in Elections

In Station 4, you will be answering the following questions and completing the exercises below.
You do not need complete sentences, but make sure you read carefully through each reading and
question!

I. Recent examples of campaign fundraising:

In the 2008 U.S. Congressional elections, winners elected to the House of
Representatives spent an average of more than $1 million on their campaigns. Winning
senators spent an average of more than $8.5 million, while the average losing senatorial
candidate spent more than $4 million. Those numbers do not begin to approach the level
of spending for presidential campaigns; in 2008, Barack Obama spent nearly $730
million in his successful bid for the presidency, while John McCain spent about $333
million on his losing campaign.

What conclusions can you draw about the role of money in elections?

II. “Campaign Finance” is very controversial because some argue that money plays too large
a role in elections. What do you think? The exercise below will help you to develop your
opinion, as well as introduce to you the range of problems within “Campaign Finance”.

For each of the questions below, you must figure out at least one ‘pro’ argument and one ‘con’
argument for the question.

1. Should candidates be able to collect as much money as they can from donors,
with no limit?

YES NO
2. Should a person be able to give as much money to a campaign as they want to,
with no limit?

YES NO

3. Should a person giving money to a campaign be able to do it anonymously?

YES NO

4. Should corporations and other large organizations be allowed to donate to

candidates’ campaigns?

YES NO

5. Should taxpayers and the government pay for campaigns, as long as candidates
agree to not collect any other donations and as long as all candidates get the
same amount of money?
 YES NO

III. Understanding the campaign finance rules

1. Given that there has been a growing concern about the impact of money in politics, what
kinds of rules do you think the government should set for campaign finance?

Station 5: Television Ads, Why Are They Everywhere?!

In this station, you will need to watch this video and answer the following questions. Make sure
to complete the questions as clear as possible (again, you do not need complete sentences)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvYmqh7eX9s
(I recommend turning the closed captions/subtitles on)

Questions on the Video:

1. Can political ads influence voters?

2. How does it influence voters?

3. Where can you find advertisements that you see/hear every day?

4. What is the purpose of political ads?

5. What did the study from Northwestern University find with political ads?

6. Does repetition of ads work according to the video?

Station 6: What is the Hatch Act of 1939?

In Station 6, you will be reviewing this article and answering the questions that go along with it.
Your answers do not need to be in complete sentences, but make sure they fully answer the
question as clearly as possible.
https://www.history.com/news/hatch-act-fdr-politics
1. What was the purpose of the Hatch Act when it was passed?

2. If you break this law, are their repercussions? If so, what are some examples?

3. What was the reason that the Hatch Act was created?

4. What was the promise that FDR reportedly made to WPA?

5. Who is exempt from the act? Why?

6. What things are the president and vice president NOT allowed to do, due to the Hatch
Act? List TWO examples!
7. What are the current Hatch Act penalties?

8. What is the OSC?