• Instructions and materials to hold a mock election
• Student discussion questions
• Class and take-home activities
• Teacher assessment guide
• Glossary of election terms

A1. Political inquiry: use the political inquiry process and the concepts of political thinking when investigating issues, events, and developments of civic importance.

A2. Developing transferable skills: apply in everyday contexts skills developed through investigations related to civics and citizenship education and identify some careers in which civics and citizenship education might be an asset.

A2.2 Demonstrate in everyday contexts attributes, skills, and work habits developed in civics and citizenship education (e.g., listen respectfully to the position of others during conversations; collaborate with peers to organize an event in their school; assess the credibility of information in a news story; voice informed opinions when engaging in discussions). 

B3. Rights and responsibilities: analyse key rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship, in both the Canadian and global context, and some ways in which these rights are protected.

B3.2 Analyse key responsibilities associated with Canadian citizenship (e.g., voting, obeying the law, paying taxes, jury duty, protecting Canada’s cultural heritage and natural environment, helping others in the community).

The following materials are included in this kit:

• Ballots
• Voters list
• ID slips (at secondary levels, you may use student ID cards instead)
• Results sheet

You will also need to supply:

• Ballot box
• Voting screen
• Pencils or markers
• Two voting tables

• Voters (the whole class)
• Two or more candidates
• Two election officials
• A Returning Officer

1. Print enough ID slips for each student. You may use student ID cards instead.

2. Set up at least two voting stations with a ballot box, results sheet, voting screen, and marker. In the short activity, each station is a voting location. In the long activity, each station represents an electoral district, which will each have its own voting location.

3. Assign students to one of the two voting stations (short activity) or electoral districts (long activity).

4. Enter the names of the students assigned to vote at each table into the voters list templates and print one copy of each list. Place the list on the corresponding table with a pen.

1. If a student is going to be the Returning Officer, ask for a volunteer for that role first. If not, the teacher carries out these duties.

2. The Returning Officer chooses two student volunteers to help as election officials.

3. The Returning Officer distributes ID slips to students and has them fill out the slip. This is their ID to vote. A student ID card may be used instead.

CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS

In this activity, the class will be divided between two voting stations. There will be one set of candidates for the class, and each candidate puts together their own platform.

1. Pick a topic that students would have multiple perspectives on. This could be a school-based or social issue that is relevant to students. Some examples are:

• Should students wear uniforms?
• Should there be vending machines in schools?
• Should high school students have a curfew?

2. Explain to students that often elections are centred around a particular political issue. Whatever issue is selected to be the focus of this election will simulate a political issue that all parties would need to address.

3. Give students some time to write down their position on the topic as well as their rationale on the student worksheet, “My Perspective.” They should try to provide as much as evidence as possible to defend their perspective. This may mean using firsthand experiences as well as general research. (Note: you may want to start this activity and then allow students time to work independently on this worksheet rather than completing this all during one period of class).

4. Ask the class for volunteers who believe strongly in their position to be candidates. Make sure you have at least two students willing to be candidates. The students should represent different arguments on the topic chosen in step one.

5. Add the candidates’ names to the ballots and print enough for the class, with a few extra. Divide the ballots between the election officials.

6. The candidates stand at the front of the class together. This is the debate. Each has two minutes to convince the class to vote for their position.

7. The class gets ten minutes to ask the candidates about their position. Students should use the questions they formulated on their “My Perspective” worksheets. Consider appointing one student as debate moderator to select students to question the candidates and to time the debate. Candidates should get 30 seconds to 1 minute to reply to questions.

CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS

In this activity, the class will be divided in half into two electoral districts (divide the class into two, using desks or tables). Each electoral district will have its own set of candidates, chosen by the party. Assign one election official to each district.

1. Pick a topic that students would have multiple perspectives on. This could be a school-based or social issue that is relevant to students. Some examples are:

• Should students wear uniforms?
• Should there be vending machines in schools?
• Should high school students have a curfew?

Teacher Note: These questions are designed to elicit varied positions and not just a  Yes/No response. For example, the last question could elicit perspectives such as agreeing with mandatory courses, rejecting mandatory courses in favour of student choice, agreeing with certain mandatory courses but not others, agreeing with mandatory courses in junior but not senior grades, modifying the current list of mandatory credits, or even students creating their own courses of study, etc. 

2. Explain to students that often elections are centred around a particular political issue. Whatever issue is selected above to be the focus of this election will simulate a political issue that all parties would need to address.

3. Give students some time to write down their position on the topic as well as their rationale on the student worksheet, My perspective. They should try to provide as much as evidence as possible to defend their perspective. This may mean using firsthand experiences as well as general research. (Note: you may want to start this activity and then allow students time to work independently on this worksheet rather than completing this all during one period of class).

4. Next, in a whole group discussion, identify several positions on the topic and divide the class into groups. Assign a position to each of the groups except for one.

5. Groups that have been assigned a position are political parties. The groups should discuss all the points and evidence they produced on their My perspective worksheets and come to a consensus on why their position is important. Each group should complete the Political platform worksheet to capture their thinking. Tell the groups this will become their platform that will be presented to the class.

6. The group that has not been assigned a position is a group of undecided voters. While the other groups are discussing their position and creating their platform, this group should discuss the issue from all angles and formulate as many questions as possible to ask the candidates. This group should complete the Undecided voters worksheet. They do not need to reach an agreement on the issue, but their questions should be designed to help them take a final position.

7. Students in political party groups should choose two members of their party to be the candidates and decide in which electoral district each candidate should run.

• Prepare two sets of ballots—one for each electoral district. Add the candidates’ names for one electoral district to the ballots and print enough for half the class, with a few extra. Give these ballots to the corresponding election official. Do the same for the second electoral district.
• The candidates stand at the front of the class together. This is the debate. Each has two minutes to convince the class to vote for their position.
• The class gets an agreed upon time limit to ask the candidates about their position (e.g., 15 minutes). Consider appointing one student as debate moderator to select students to question the candidates and to time the debate. Candidates should get 30 seconds to 1 minute to reply to questions. Students should use the questions they formulated on their My perspective worksheets.

Teacher Note: The undecided voters  group should use the group worksheet, Undecided voters to briefly record responses during the debate.

VOTING

For both the short and long activity, have the class vote on the platforms the candidates presented.

1. The candidates return to their seats following questions. The campaign is now finished, and voting begins.

2. The election officials take their seats at the two voting stations (one for each electoral district).

3. Students line up for their assigned table with their ID.

4. One at a time, the students go to their assigned table and show their ID to the election official.

5. The election official checks that their name is on the voters list and runs a line through their name with a ruler and pen to strike them off the voters list. Being “struck off” the voters list means you have received your ballot to vote and cannot vote again in the election.

6. The election official then folds a ballot in half and gives it to the student.

7. The student takes the ballot and goes behind the voting screen to mark it in private. See below for the different ways students can mark their ballots.

a. Please note, you may want to have designated students mark their ballots in the ways listed below so your election officials can experience the different scenarios. For example, a designated student can make a mistake on a ballot and approach an official for a replacement. Make sure officials have the list below for reference as they are running the voting process.

8. The student folds the ballot, so no one can see how they voted, and takes it back to the election official, who directs them to put it in the ballot box.

RESULTS 

Once all students have voted, including the election officials and Returning Officer, the election officials will open the ballot box to count the ballots. 

Make sure any leftover or cancelled ballots have been cleared from the table, so they are not accidentally counted.

1. On the results sheet, the election official will list the names of the candidates and record how many votes each candidate received.*

2. If any ballots have been declined, the election official will record the number on the results sheet.

3. If any ballots have been marked incorrectly, or not marked at all, the election official will record the number of rejected or unmarked ballots in the results sheet. If a ballot isn’t marked properly, it is up to the election official to decide if it should be counted or rejected. Candidates have the option to challenge the official’s decision and make their case, but ultimately it is up to the official.

4. The election official will give the results sheet and the ballots (back in the ballot box) to the Returning Officer.

5. The Returning Officer will announce the official results to the class.

* Teacher Note: while the ballots are being counted, consider showing the class the Elections Ontario voter registration website. Explain to students that this is where voters add, update, or confirm their information on the voters list or the Ontario Register of Future Voters.

• If any students are 16 or 17 years old, let them know that they might be eligible to add themselves to the Ontario Register of Future Voters. Being on the register means they will be automatically added to the provincial voters list when they turn 18. They can register at eregistration.elections.on.ca.

1. After the election, display the following questions* in a visible location. Print the questions on slips of paper for the next step. See Appendix D Consolidation questions for question strips that can be copied for this activity.

• What did you think about the mock election process? What parts were easy or difficult? What could be better?
• What helped you decide how to vote?Did you already have an opinion on the topic? Did a candidate’s presentation change your opinion?
• After the activity, do you feel more comfortable voting? Why or why not?
• How does voting help shape a community? What other ways can you participate in your community?

* See below for other possible discussion questions that can be used for this activity

2. Group students into groups of two or four for this step.

• Students will randomly pick questions out of a hat, bucket, bag or whatever works for your classroom. Each student should have a question that has a number. (See Appendix D for sample questions set out into paper slips that can be photocopied; see below for other sets of questions that can be used.)
• Set a timer for 45 seconds for each round of questions. Call out a question number and then start the timer for students with that question to respond in their small groups. While each designated student is responding, the others in the small group cannot interrupt or comment.
• Continue until all students in each group have responded to a question.
• Discuss as a whole class; students should reference points made in their small group discussions.

3. Next, complete an A-to-Z summary with the whole class. This can be completed digitally (i.e., through Google Docs) or on a large piece of paper in the classroom.

• Each student is assigned a letter as a sentence starter.
• Each student must compose a one sentence summary about the voting process that reflects their learning from the voting simulation.
• Note: you may wish to omit the “X” or make it a challenge for a selected student (a possible sentence is “X” marks the candidate of your choice in a properly completed ballot).

These discussion questions offer a chance for students to revisit each step of the activity and think about different scenarios.

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

When deciding electoral district boundaries, independent boundary commissions try to keep the number of voters in each electoral district about the same. 

In some cases, they might also have to consider:

• Geography
• Community history
• Community interests
• Minority representation and community identity

1. Why are these factors important? What other factors could be important for deciding electoral district boundaries?

2. What might be an unfair way to decide electoral district boundaries?

3. What would happen if boundaries were drawn to get a certain result?

CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES

1. What if candidates were randomly selected instead of asked to volunteer?

2. What character traits are often associated with political leaders? How can we encourage representation from a wider range of leaders?

3. If you hadn’t been assigned a position on the topic, would it have been easy or difficult to develop a platform that you all agreed on?

VOTER PARTICIPATION

1. What would have changed if only some of the class voted?

2. What are some reasons people might not show up to vote?

3. What would you say to them to convince them their vote matters?

ELECTION INTEGRITY

1. Why is it important to balance election integrity and accessibility by allowing different types of ID to vote?

2. Why is our vote secret? What would happen if we voted by raising our hands publicly?

3. What are some of the difficulties voters could experience while trying to vote? How can voting be made easier for them?

ADVANCE VOTING

Advance voting is a set number of days during the election period where you can vote in person before election day using a ballot with a list  

of candidates.

BALLOT

A ballot is a piece of paper that lists the candidates and their political parties (if applicable) who are running for office. To vote for a candidate, mark an X on the ballot in the white circle beside the name of the candidate of your choice. 

CANDIDATE

A candidate is a person running to be a Member of Provincial Parliament, who has been issued a Certificate of Nomination from a Returning Officer or the Chief Electoral Officer during the election period.

CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) is an Officer of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to oversee provincial elections in Ontario.

DECLINED BALLOT

Ontario’s election law allows voters to decline their ballot. This is a public process and is done out loud. The election official will mark “declined” on the election documentation and the ballot will be placed in an envelope for declined ballots. Declined ballots will be counted and reported after the polls close on election night and included in the official results as “declined ballots”.

ELECTION DAY

An election period ends with election day, which is the last day to vote in an election.

ELECTION PERIOD

The election period begins the day the writ is issued and ends on election day.

ELECTOR

An elector is a person who is eligible to vote in an Ontario provincial election. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen and a resident of Ontario.

ELECTORAL DISTRICT

A geographical area of the province defined in the Representation Act that is represented by a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

MAJORITY GOVERNMENT

When the total number of government seats in the house exceeds the total number of opposition seats.

MARKED BALLOT

A marked ballot is one that has an X in one of the circles next to the candidates’ names. Marked ballots will be counted and reported after the polls close on election night and included in the official results as accepted ballots marked for candidate.

MINORITY GOVERNMENT

When the total number of opposition seats in the house exceeds the total number of government seats.

OFFICIAL TABULATION

During official tabulation, the Returning Officer compiles the results for each candidate from the results tabulated by election officials on election night. At the conclusion of the official tabulation, each Returning Officer declares the candidate with the most votes to be elected. Candidates or their designated representatives are invited to official tabulation to observe the proceedings.

PERMANENT REGISTER OF ELECTORS FOR ONTARIO

The Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario (PREO), more commonly known as the voters list, includes the names and addresses of people who are eligible to vote in Ontario. Information on the register is updated from a variety of sources including Elections Canada, other government agencies, and through direct updates from electors.

When an election is called, information from  the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario is used to create the voters list for each electoral district.

POLITICAL PARTY

A political party is an organization that is registered with Elections Ontario and has run at least two candidates in an election.

REJECTED BALLOT

If a voter marks their ballot with initials or another identifying mark, or marks outside of one of the circles beside the candidates’ names, their ballot may be rejected. Rejected ballots will be counted and reported after the polls close on election night and included in the official results as “rejected ballots”.

RETURNING OFFICER

A Returning Officer is the election official who is appointed to administer an election in an electoral district by the Lieutenant Governor in Council (the Cabinet) upon the recommendation of the Chief Electoral Officer.

UNMARKED BALLOT

If a voter does not mark their ballot and places it in the ballot box, the ballot will be considered unmarked.

VOTER

A voter is an elector who accepts a ballot from an election official.

VOTERS LIST

The voters list is the common way of referring to the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario.

VOTING LOCATION

A building or other facility selected by a Returning Officer to be a location where voting takes place.