Welcome to Presidential Campaigns and Elections!  What an exciting year! This semester we will explore the election process by looking at campaign strategies, voter profiles and the Electoral College. Students will debate issues central to the current presidential campaigns as well as conduct a school wide mock election. Given the controversial nature of presidential elections, I expect students to have open and thought provoking discussions while fostering mutual respect for everyone's ideas and beliefs. Our agenda is as follows: 

                     1^st Six Weeks: Government’s Role and Purpose

                                                 The Living Room Candidate

                                                 The Desktop Candidate

                                                 Interest Groups: Whose Interest?

                        2^nd Six Weeks: The Electoral Collage

                                                 The Nitty and the Gritty: Core Issues in Today’s Campaigns

                                                  Kealing Mock Election

                        3^rd Six Weeks:  Kealing Mock Election Continued           

                                                  Voter Preferences and Polling

For this class you will need one 70-page spiral notebook, an open mind and the ability to read the news!!!!  As an essential part of this class, we will be taking a field trip to both the Democratic and Republican campaign headquarters. 

You will also need to be able to access www.tvartin.com and click under the Presidential Politics section to chronicle events in our class.  If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at jmartin3@austinisd.org or by phone at 841.1178.  I am available on B-days from 11:30-12:30.  Please return the bottom portion to me signed by Thursday, September 4. I look forward to an exciting semester with you!