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: Objectives:
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: Objectives:
OVERVIEW Every two years, political parties hold statewide conventions focused on unifying the party under a set of values, known as the party platform. While the National Convention focuses on nominating presidential candidates and is held every four years, state conventions are equally as important for endorsements and nominations for statewide candidates like governor or local candidates like state legislators. This lesson focuses on the little known state conventions that showcase political parties’ and organizations’ support for statewide candidates. In Washington State, conventions happen before the Top Two Primary, signaling to the electorate who to vote for in the primary election. Additionally, state conventions cement the state party’s platform, which states their values and views on important issues of the day. Students will view four mini-documentaries from the 2024 Election Season: Washington State Republican Party Convention, Washington State Democratic Party Convention, Washington State Labor Union Political Convention, and Mainstream Republican Cascade Conference. In this jigsawed activity, students will compare and contrast the conventions, determining who is involved in each event and investigating the candidates who were endorsed in statewide elections. Essential Questions: Objectives:
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: Objectives:
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: Objectives:
In this lesson, students will learn about the role and responsibilities of the Precinct Committee Officer. A Precinct Committee Officer is a partisan position that is elected or appointed every two years. In their examination of the role, students will also investigate their own political viewpoints, and determine how they wish to become more involved in local politics. Essential Questions: Objectives:
Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this lesson, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans stand on two important policies regarding partisanship and elections. Essential Questions: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee (2025) Overview: The Senate State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee considers issues relating to:
Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this 20 minute lesson plan, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans, stand on three important policies regarding the environment and energy. Essential Questions: House Environment & Energy Committee (2025) Overview: The House Environment & Energy Committee considers issues relating to air quality; aquatic lands; oil spill prevention; solid waste; hazardous waste; toxics; climate change; energy; Puget Sound; the State Environmental Policy Act and the Shoreline Management Act; state parks; and outdoor recreation.
Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this lesson, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans, stand on three important policies regarding community safety. Essential Questions: House Community Safety Committee (2025) Overview: The House Community Safety Committee considers a broad array of issues relating to the criminal legal system, including policing; crisis response; crime prevention; criminal penalties and sentencing; impaired driving; adult correctional programs; rehabilitation and reentry; and adult correctional institutions. The committee also considers issues relating to the registration and civil commitment of sex offenders.
Overview: In 1 to 2 class periods, this lesson plan introduces students to the issues that Legislative Committees address in a typical Legislative session. Students will have the choice of 11 different issues to examine, learning which committees address these important topics. Additionally, students will assess their own opinions and ideas that relate to the topics presented in the videos. Slide deck and documents can be customized for sharing, and distribution to your students. Essential Questions: Objectives: