Links:
Explore the list of minor political parties in America. These parties represent the vast array of views within the American political fabric, and these parties are often much more closely defined than the Republican or Democratic parties. They seldom recognized, these parties often play important roles in American politics by challenging the positions of major party candidates, raising voter awareness of specific issues, and forming groups or coalitions of like minded individuals to provide a collective voice.
The Assignment:
• Which political party best suites your own political views? Why?
• Select a minority party that appeals to your personal political beliefs.
• Study the party
o What is the history? When was it formed? How has it participated in past elections?
o What is the party platform?
o How would goals of the party impact the area in which we live?
• Now pretend you are:
o running in the local elections for Town Council in Cheshire as a member of your chosen party.
o Running as an independent candidate for President of the US.
• Prepare a 2 minute “stump speech” for the class defining your party and explaining why, as a member of X party, you should be elected.
o Identify your audience
o Identify your platform
o How do your goals and the goals of your party support voters’ needs?
• Create a campaign poster to support your run for office. Your poster should be eye-catching and creative, indicate who you are, why you are running, and what the main points of your platform are, and should NOT include any inappropriate language or imagery. I do have the right to abridge your freedom of speech while in school.