The British government, led by Theresa May, has called a general election on 8 June, reversing the promises the Conservatives have made since the Brexit referendum vote on 23 June 2016. Although the Conservative government had called the Brexit referendum, its Prime Minister and many of its ministers campaigned leaving the E.U. When the “leave” … Continue reading “Theresa May Calls for a Snap Election”
It was quite a year of surprises. And definitely not a good one for opinion-poll companies and forecasters. From Brexit to Trump, refugee athletes to the rock ‘n’ roll Nobel Literature laureate, we look back at 2016. Election forecasters are probably having a long rest, or thinking about a new career about now. Last January, … Continue reading “2016: That Was the Year the Was”
In an exceptional electoral year, there is one more chapter to come in the saga of the 2016 Presidential election. The electoral college, normally a very discreet part of the electoral process, could be the scene of unusual drama on 19 December. Until the recent past, the electoral college was barely mentioned in descriptions of … Continue reading “Electoral College: the Final Hurdle?”
Who won the third presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? According to YouGov’s post-debate poll, which interviewed 1503 registered voters who watched the debate, Hillary Clinton won the debate against Donald Trump by 49% to 39%. The candidates clashed repeatedly over their radically different vision for the future of U.S.A.: Supreme Court justices … Continue reading “Who won the third presidential debate?”
The third and final U.S. presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take place on Wednesday 19th October at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This is the last chance for the two candidates to address the millions of American voters. For the first debate on September 26, there was a record of 84 … Continue reading “This is the End… the Last Debate”
Television adverts, as opposed to the the carefully regulated “party political broadcasts” more common in Europe, are an intriguing aspect of American politics. And they are a fabulous teaching tool, giving an insight into American culture, and perfect for educating your pupils about the media. Pupils should pick up details that repeat from one ad … Continue reading “U.S. Election Adverts”
How much does it cost to fund a presidential election campaign, and how do the candidates raise the money? We look at the thorny issue of election finance. There is a long history of politics and money. Back in 1757, “founding father” George Washington won an election to the Virginia State parliament after throwing a … Continue reading “Election Money Machine”
The first of the three presidential debates will take place on Monday night 26 September*. If you are interested in the face to face Clinton/Trump, you will have to wait until 3 in the morning! Officially, there are 5 candidates racing for the White House. Then why there will be only two candidates for a … Continue reading “What a Debate!”
We’ve sifted through the many resources online about the U.S. elections to find the ones best adapted for use in collège and lycée classes. The U.S. presidential elections is a hot topic and information is constantly changing. A lot of what is available online is too difficult for non-native speakers, who, as well as the … Continue reading “U.S. Presidential Election Webpicks”
In the U.S. presidential elections, all the candidates are chasing the youth vote. The Democrats most of all. So Barack Obama has made a short video to encourage young people to sign up to vote. It would make a great classroom activity. The youth vote is a difficult demographic. Young people are more likely than … Continue reading “Chasing the Youth Vote”
