Weekly Election Newsletter for Homeschools - Vice Presidential Running Mate

Vice Presidential Running Mate

During the weeks (happening now) between the end of the primaries and the party conventions, the candidates must pick their vice presidential running mates. Together, the president and vice president make up the party “ticket.” In November, citizens will vote for president and vice president together as one ticket.
 
How do candidates decide on their vice presidential running mates?

Each campaign has a vice presidential search committee in charge of vetting (carefully examining) the candidates. This is done in secret. However, this year, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has been tweeting about his meetings with potential running mates.
 
Additionally, vice presidential running mates are chosen for a variety of reasons. Today, vice presidents are chosen to help win over American voters. In particular, they should make up for an area where the candidate is lacking or compensate for a weakness. Consider also these other factors:

• Geography: Can a vice presidential nominee help to win a state that’s up for grabs in the Electoral College or a particular region of the country?
• Personal characteristics: Would it help to have a vice presidential candidate who is old or young? Male or female? Race, religion, and personal background can be other factors.
• Leadership Image: Is the candidate trying to come across to voters as a certain type of leader or having trouble with his or her image? Who could help?
• Experience: Is there an area where the vice presidential candidate is strong and the presidential candidate is weak?

 
Weekly Challenge

The challenge this week is to make some guesses about who the vice presidential running mates will be.
 
Here are the instructions:

1. Choose your favorite candidate.
2. Parents can help children do Internet research on the vice presidential running mates (There are many media accounts that try to come up with good lists).
3. Then do some basic Internet research on some of the names mentioned in order to get familiar with their backgrounds.
4. Fill out the FREE printable worksheet on the vice presidential nominees.
5. Finally, make your guess: Who do you think will be the vice presidential candidate for your favorite candidate? 

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Learn more!
For more information on how to homeschool through the 2016 election, including lessons on election strategy and the vice presidential nominee, check out the Presidential Elections unit study, available now from Silverdale Press!

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