Running for Elected Office: A Ten-Week Political Campaign Simulation for Upper-Division Courses

Elections are a central feature of the U.S. system of government. Therefore, it is important that undergraduates, especially political science majors, acquire a substantive understanding of the electoral process. To help students gain this understanding, we have developed a simulation through which undergraduates gain firsthand knowledge of the campaign process. In this simulation, students assume the roles of candidates, staffers, or journalists and undertake a ten-week campaign that ends with a public debate and election. The simulation is designed to be an intensive, multidisciplinary exercise that is flexible in duration