3. Election vocabulary
Vote
– Make a decision
Candidate
– A person running for office
Office
– An elected role in government
Referendum
– A public vote on a question, policy or issue
Electoral College
– Constitutional process by which the President is elected by
state representatives, or Electors
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4. 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
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5. On the ballot
President
Governor
US House of Representatives
Mecklenburg ballot
– County Commission
– Student referendum
– Optional online ballot is available containing ALL offices on adult ballot
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6. 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
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7. Candidates
Barack Obama (D) Mitt Romney (R) Gary Johnson (L)
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8. 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
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9. Candidates
Walter Dalton (D) Pat McCrory (R) Barbara Howe (L)
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10. 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
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11. Congressional Districts
Mecklenburg
– Mostly 9 & 12
5
– Small part of 8
Region (approx. locations) 12
– 5 – North of Charlotte 10 Charlotte
– 8 – East of Charlotte
9 8
– 9 – Parts of Mecklenburg,
Union, and Iredell
Look up your district
– 10 – West of Charlotte http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.u
– 12 – Along I-85 s/webapps/redistrict/NCRedistr
ictMapSingle.html?
2468608,,Congressional,2011
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12. Candidates
District 9
If you live in District 9, vote for one (1)
candidate in your party
– Jennifer Roberts (D)
– Robert Pittenger (R)
– Curtis Campbell (L)
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13. Candidates
District 12
If you live in District 12, vote for one (1)
candidate in your party
– Mel Watt (D)
– Jack Brosch (R)
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14. Candidates
District 8
If you live in District 8, vote for one (1)
candidate in your party
– Larry Kissell (D)
– Richard Hudson (R)
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15. Candidates
District 5
If you live in District 5, vote for one (1)
candidate in your party
– Elisabeth Motsinger (D)
– Virginia Foxx (R)
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16. Candidates
District 10
If you live in District 10, vote for one (1)
candidate in your party
– Patsy Keever (D)
– Patrick McHenry (R)
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17. 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
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18. 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)
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19. 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
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20. 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!
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21. 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
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22. 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
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23. 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)
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24. Schools – Question 2
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
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25. Schools – Question 3
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)
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26. 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
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27. Read and learn
Start with an issue YOU care about
– Education, environment, safety, transportation,
economy/jobs, children, neighborhoods, teachers
Find 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
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28. 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
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29. 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?
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30. 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
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31. 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
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