Classroom-Ready Resources for the 2020 Election

The electoral process is confusing for many students.  Our Teach the Election series offers short readings, discussion questions, and primary sources to help them understand the historical context of today’s election.  And with better understanding of the electoral process, students are more likely to participate.

• Debate Watch.  A Student Guide to the 2020 Election.
• Primaries and Caucuses. What are primaries and how are they different from caucuses?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
• Super Tuesday.  What is Super Tuesday and why is it important?
• Voting as a Civil Right.  How have we expanded Americans’ right to vote? This resource explains the significance of the 15th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act, and more recent court decisions that have impacted Americans’ right to vote.
• The Role of the Vice President.  How are Vice Presidents’ selected, what role have they played historically?  What are their responsibilities in a modern presidency?
• Party Platforms. What are today's Republican and Democratic Party's positions on key issues facing the nation? How have these positions evolved throughout our nation's history?
• The Politics of Supreme Court Nominations.  What is the process for filling vacancies on the Supreme Court?  What is the impact of Justice Ginsburg's passing during an election year? What is court-packing and what is its historical context?