Passport to Democracy

1. Passport to Democracy Running the Election with Students

2. You will need: • Ballot box and voting compartment from the Passport to Democracy suitcase • Prepared ballot papers • An electoral roll (could use a class register) and pen/ruler • ‘ivote’ badges (could give these out as they collect ballot paper) • ‘Election official’ badges for officials • Signs/labels for each issue + informal

3. The Election This election will be conducted using the preferential method of counting votes. You will need 4 volunteers to act as election officials to: • Mark each voter’s name off the roll • Issue the ballot paper • Control the queue • Guard the ballot box

4. Setting up the space Students line up to vote Ballot box. This should have an official to ‘guard’ it from tampering and to determine it is empty at the beginning of the election. Election officials sit here. They mark names off the roll and issue the ballot papers Voting compartment. Should have attached pencil and be separate from other people in the room for privacy.

5. Voting in elections You have to put a number in every box. Do not use ticks or crosses. 2 4 1 3

6. Students cast their vote. Students line up to vote Receive ballot paper 1 Ballot box Election officials – Roll mark off and issuing of ballot papers Fold paper and place in ballot box 3 Number votes in order of preference 2 Voting compartment

7. When everyone has voted • Put up labels that represent each candidate or issue around the room. • Open the ballot box and give each student a random ballot paper to use in the physical count. They will now “represent” this ballot paper physically.

8. For this example, student issue groups are represented by fruit names... The physical count Apple Pear Berry Banana Mango Informal Students group with ballot papers and get ready to count

9. The physical count Students line up at the fruit that was marked number 1 on their ballot paper. Apple Pear Berry Banana Mango 27 formal votes

10. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Berry Banana Mango 3 5 No fruit has 14 votes. 6 7 6

11. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Berry Banana Mango 3 5 The fruit with the least number of votes is defeated. 7 6 6

12. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Berry Mango 3 These votes are now re distributed to the fruit marked no. 2 on the paper 5 7 6 6

13. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Still not enough for a winner! Berry Mango Mango has the least votes, so is eliminated; students move to number closest to 1 on their ballot paper out of the remaining fruit. 5 7 9 6

14. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Berry So close! Still no absolute majority. Now Berry is eliminated and students move to number closest to 1 out of Apple and Pear... 13 8 6

15. 27 formal votes – need 14 to win. The physical count Apple Pear Apple is the preferred fruit and has won the election!! 14 ! 13