The 2024 Election season has begun in earnest. What that means for Teach with TVW is that our Elections Explained coverage also begins. Throughout the summer and fall, we will be producing short explainer videos that showcase all the aspects of how elections work in Washington State, from the floors of the state conventions to the final counting of votes in November. Each video can stand alone, or they can be viewed as a series. Additionally, all will come with lesson plans for easy implementation in the classroom.
Book mark this page as we will be posting new video shorts from the campaign trail along with supporting lesson plans, study guides and student workbooks for teaching Elections in the Fall.
THE SERIES
A hallmark of the Progressive Era, the initiative and referendum processes were amended into Washington’s State Constitution in 1912. The initiative process allows Washingtonians to directly propose new legislation that will go on the ballot for voters to support or reject, while the referendum process allows voters to directly reject laws already enacted by the legislature. University of Washington Law scholar, Professor Hugh Spitzer, describes the benefits and potential pitfalls of the initiative process.
Essential Questions:
- How does the initiative process highlight the importance of direct democracy and representative democracy?
- Why is it important for people to be educated about initiatives?
Lesson Plan: The Initiative Process
Debates between candidates have become an integral part of the election cycle. While millions of people tune in for the Presidential debates, the same cannot be said for the Statewide races, despite the fact that these debates are occurring and are televised or streamed so the electorate can be more informed. Viewers will learn about State Debates, the purpose of debates, what the electorate can learn from a debate, and how the media prepares to moderate a debate.
Essential Questions:
- To what extent are debates an important part of the election process?
- To what extent is it important to watch a debate in its entirety?
- How can debates help the voter learn about the issues and the candidates?
Lesson Plan: Debates
Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of a functioning democracy. In the United States, elections are decentralized, and each state conducts their elections slightly differently. In Washington State, the State Legislature has passed laws that expand access to the elected franchise. Simultaneously, concerns over the security of the United States’ voting system have continued to grow over the last 10 years. One of the jobs of the Secretary of State’s office is to educate voters about the Electoral Process.
Essential Questions:
- How does Washington State balance access to the ballot with security of the elections?
- To what extent are Washington State’s elections safe and secure?
Lesson Plan: Election Integrity
While the presidential election will dominate the media coverage, mainstream and social, and conversations in the classroom, who wins the Statewide Elections will directly affect your day to day life. This video will provide background information about the state of Washington races post the August Primary Election and pre the November Election.
Essential Questions:
- To what extent is control over the State Legislature important?
- Why is it important that four Executive offices are open races?
- What is at stake in the 2024 elections for Washington State?
Lesson Plan: 2024 Elections: What’s at Stake
The August 2024 Primary Election resulted in Washington State’s closest statewide race in history! The race for who will be in the General Election for our Commissioner of Public Lands came down to just 51 votes, which triggered a mandatory hand recount. So, what do the County Auditors and their election staff, who count the ballots, do during a hand recount? How does the recount work?
Essential Questions:
- How is election integrity ensured?
- What recourse do candidates have?
- Who oversees this process?
Secretary of State’s Office: Recount Rules
Article: 2004 Governor’s Election
Statewide Standards on What is a Vote: Manual
Every year, Washington residents receive a Voters’ Pamphlet in their mailbox prior to the election. Along with the Video Voters Guide produced by TVW, the Voters’ Pamphlet is a powerful tool for Washingtonians, allowing them to hear from the candidates in their own words, regardless of how much media coverage they receive. The Secretary of State’s office does not fact check any candidate statement. In this lesson, students will hear from the Secretary of State and the Lieutenant Governor about the importance of this election information.
Essential Questions:
- Should the state provide election information to the public?
- To what extent should the government fact check what candidates say in an election?
Lesson Plan: Voter’s Guides
Washington State is one of the only states in the nation that has a Top Two Primary for all of its Statewide Elected positions, Congressional positions, and Legislative positions. Held in the August preceding a November election, the top two winners of the primary regardless of political party move on to the general election. Washington State has conducted this type of primary for almost 20 years.
Essential Questions:
- Why did Washington change to the Top Two Primary?
- To what extent does Washington’s Primary System represent the views of its voters?
- How does the Top Two Primary work?
Lesson Plan: Top Two Primary
At the Secretary of State’s office, the first week of May is also known as FILING WEEK! Candidates who want to run for office fill out their candidate declaration forms and pay their filing fee, officially making them eligible to be on the ballot. While this process is generally procedural and ceremonial in nature, there are laws and formalities followed that ensure that the process is equitable and fair for both the candidate and the voter.
Essential Question:
- To what extent does Filing Week ensure an equitable process for candidates and voters?
Lesson Plan: Filing Week
I went to bed in one district, and woke up in another! Help your students understand how legislative districts work in WA.
2024 is an election year! Do you know who will be on your ballot? Every 10 years, our legislative and congressional district lines are redrawn and thus your district may have changed since the last presidential election. However, due to a legal challenge to the redistricting done after the 2020 census, 13 legislative districts changed as of the first week in April 2024. Don’t be surprised when your primary ballot comes in July! Check this map below to see if you are one of the 300,000 people who have new legislators representing them!
Essential Questions:
- To what extent does the redistricting committee create equity in Washington State?
- How do individuals challenge redistricting in Washington State?
Lesson Plan: Voting: Impact of Redistricting
News Article: Washington Standard Redistricting Map
PARTY CONVENTIONS
Teach With TVW takes to the road to learn what state party conventions are all about. In April of 2024, the Washington State Republican Party, chaired by State Representative Jim Walsh, hosted their State Convention in Spokane. Understand the reasoning behind endorsements, hear interviews with delegates, and see for yourself how it all unfolded. And stay tuned for our coverage of the Democratic State Convention in June!
Essential Questions:
- Why do political parties have conventions?
- How did the Republican party use the convention to shape the electoral process?
Lesson Plan: Political Conventions: Republican Party State Convention
Candidate Endorsements: how do they really work? The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is the umbrella organization for over 600 labor unions in the state. In May, they held their Committee on Political Education (COPE) Endorsing Convention, where candidates from both parties came to talk to union delegates in hopes of earning the endorsement of the WSLC. After watching this 5 minute video, you will understand the role that the unions can play in an election.
Essential Questions:
- Why do people join unions?
- How much power does a union endorsement carry in an election?
Lesson Plan: Labor Union Endorsement Conventions
Candidate Endorsements: how do they really work? Founded in 1969, the Mainstream Republicans of Washington held their annual conference in May to discuss issues facing the state, endorse candidates for office, and to brainstorm how to combat divisiveness within the state. From panel discussions on the fentanyl crisis and dam removal to Building Bridges across the aisle, Republicans from across the state gathered to exchange views on how to best get Mainstream Republicans elected to office
Essential Questions:
- Why is there a Mainstream Republican Conference?
- What did the Mainstream Republicans focus on at the conference?
- Why was there a focus on Building Bridges at the conference?
Lesson Plan: Endorsement/Think Tank Conferences
State Conventions: what are their purposes in an election year? In June, The Washington State Democratic Party held their 2024 State Convention in Bellevue. Boasting their most diverse delegation ever, delegates from across the state joined together to meet with members of their caucuses, collaborate on ideas on how to strengthen their party, vote to adopt their party platform and resolutions, and formulate a unified message to get Democrats elected.
Essential Questions:
- Why do political parties have conventions?
- How did the Democratic party use the convention to mobilize their members?
- What is a political party?
Lesson Plan: 2024 Democratic Party State Convention
PRECINCT COMMITTEE OFFICER
Precinct Committee Officers are party officials who engage with the population at a grassroots level. From encouraging people to get out the vote, to attending meetings about party business, to even nominating people to fill vacancies in the State Legislature, PCOs are involved in the political process at every level. In this video, you will learn about the important role that PCOs play in the party system as well as why young people should run to become one!
Essential Questions:
- What is a PCO and how are they important to the political process?
- Why is grassroots engagement important to the political process?
- How can young voters get involved in the political process?
How to become a Precinct Committee Officer – There are many vacancies and you are needed!
Chirag lays out all the steps for you in this easy to follow guide.
Essential Questions:
- What is a PCO and how are they important to the political process?
- Why is grassroots engagement important to the political process?
- How can young voters get involved in the political process?