Teaching elections without bias can feel challenging, especially when students come into the classroom with opinions and information theyโve already heard at home, online, or through campaign advertising. As social studies teachers, we want students to understand how elections work and why participation matters. While there are many strategies for teaching elections in middle school, we also need to be careful that our own political views donโt become part of the lesson.
Iโve found that one of the best ways to do this is to keep the focus on the election process rather than individual candidates or political parties. Candidates and issues change, but students will continue to encounter elections throughout their lives. If they understand how candidates are selected, how voting works, what happens on Election Day, and how election results determine who represents them, they have a foundation they can continue building on as future voters.
That doesnโt mean political opinions will never enter the classroom. Students bring in things theyโve heard from parents, campaign commercials, social media, and other sources. The goal isnโt to convince students that those opinions are right or wrong. Instead, we can establish clear expectations for discussion and continually bring the conversation back to what weโre there to learn: how elections and our government work.
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Focus on the Election Process, Not the Candidates
When teaching elections, Iโve always found that focusing on the process rather than specific candidates is one of the easiest ways to keep political bias out of the lesson. Students need to understand primaries, campaigns, ballots, voting, and election results, but we donโt necessarily need a real candidate to teach those concepts.
One way to do this is to create a fictional candidate, proposition, or election for students to work with. Better yet, let students help create the situation. They might develop two fictional candidates running for a made-up office or create a proposition about an issue that could affect their community. Once the situation is established, students can work through different parts of the election process without the discussion becoming about a real political party or candidate.
Using a fictional situation also gives us more control over what students need to think about. We can build in election vocabulary, introduce different viewpoints, have students consider what information voters would need, and walk through the voting process. Students are still applying what theyโre learning, but the focus remains on how an election works rather than the outcome of a real election.
Set Expectations Before Political Discussions Begin
Even when the lesson is focused on the election process, political opinions can make their way into classroom conversations. Thatโs why it helps to establish clear expectations for how those conversations will be handled.
Iโve found that I donโt need a separate set of rules just for political conversations. Instead, I rely on the same expectations we use for other classroom discussions. We respect each other, we donโt attack someone because we disagree with them, and we listen when someone else is speaking. Most importantly, the goal of the conversation isnโt to convince someone else to agree with us. Weโre there to learn about how elections and government work.
Reviewing those expectations before a discussion begins gives students a clear understanding of what productive political conversation looks like in our classroom. They know that disagreement is okay, but personal attacks and attempts to convince classmates are not part of what weโre doing.
Once those expectations are established, voting discussion cards can give students structured opportunities to talk through election topics while practicing respectful discussion.
Be Prepared for Political Opinions in the Classroom
Even with clear expectations, there will be times when a student makes a political comment or brings a controversial opinion into the discussion. When that happens, I donโt see it as my job to determine whether the student is right or wrong or to convince them to see the issue differently.
Instead, I redirect the conversation. If a comment crosses the boundaries weโve established for respectful discussion, we go back to those expectations. If it simply takes us away from the purpose of the lesson, I bring the conversation back to what weโre studying.
This is especially important when students ask what I think about a candidate or issue. I donโt need to share my political views in order to teach students how elections work. Keeping my own opinions out of the discussion helps maintain the focus on the process and gives students room to develop their own thinking.
Be Intentional About Using Current Candidates and Issues
Teaching elections doesnโt mean every lesson needs to focus on the candidates or issues in the current election. In fact, Iโm careful about making current political candidates the focus of my instruction. Even when our intentions are neutral, it can be easy for students or families to interpret the choices we make as supporting one candidate, party, or position over another.
That doesnโt mean current elections have to be completely off-limits. Students may choose to research a candidate or issue as part of an assignment, or a current election may provide a useful example of something weโre already studying. The difference is that students have choices rather than everyone being directed toward the same political topic.
Local elections and issues can also provide useful real-world connections. Students can look at the offices being elected in their community, examine how a local ballot measure works, or explore how an issue gets placed before voters. This keeps the focus on understanding the election process while helping students see that elections are happening around them, not just at the national level.
Teach Elections Beyond the Presidential Election
Presidential elections tend to get the most attention, but they represent only one part of the election process. State and local elections happen regularly and determine who serves in positions that can have a direct impact on studentsโ communities.
When teaching elections, I want students to recognize that voters may be choosing governors, members of Congress, mayors, city council members, school board members, and other state and local officials. Depending on where they live, voters may also be asked to make decisions about ballot measures or other local issues.
This gives us an opportunity to help students see elections as an ongoing part of our government rather than an event that happens every four years. They may not remember every office or every step of the process, but they should understand that participating in elections extends well beyond choosing a president.
Help Students See Their Future Role in Elections
Middle school students may not be able to vote yet, but they can still begin thinking about their role in the election process. There are also ways to give students a voice in elections before they are old enough to vote. Part of teaching the election process is helping students understand what that responsibility will involve.
Being an informed voter requires more than showing up on Election Day. Citizens need to understand what they are voting for, seek out reliable information, and make their own decisions about candidates and issues. The work we do in the classroom can give students a foundation for doing that later.
Students can also apply what they’re learning before they’re old enough to vote. For example, I’ve had students research voting and create public service announcements about the importance of voting. This gives them an opportunity to use what they’ve learned while keeping the focus on participation rather than promoting a particular candidate or issue.
I also want students to recognize that having a voice in government is something worth valuing. Systems of government and opportunities for political participation differ around the world. In the United States, eligible citizens have established ways to participate in choosing representatives and making decisions through elections. Helping students understand how that process works prepares them to make their own choices about how they will participate when they are old enough.
Teaching elections without bias isn’t about preparing students to support a particular candidate, party, or political position. It’s about giving them the knowledge they need to understand the process so that, eventually, their choices really are their own.
Keep the Focus on Understanding the Election Process
Teaching elections without bias doesnโt mean avoiding elections or political topics altogether. It means being intentional about what we choose to teach and keeping the focus on helping students understand the process rather than influencing their political views.
When students understand how elections work, why different levels of government matter, and what their future role as voters will be, they have a foundation they can continue building on. We can give them opportunities to ask questions, examine information, and learn how our election system works while still leaving their political choices where they belongโwith them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teaching Elections Without Bias
How can I teach elections without showing political bias?
Keep the focus on how the election process works rather than on supporting or opposing particular candidates, parties, or political positions. Using fictional candidates or ballot measures can give students opportunities to apply what they are learning without turning the lesson into a discussion about a current political race.
Should teachers share their political opinions when teaching elections?
You don’t need to share your own political views to help students understand elections. Keeping your personal opinions out of the discussion allows the focus to remain on the election process and gives students space to develop their own ideas.
How should I handle political opinions students bring into the classroom?
Establish expectations for respectful classroom discussions before political topics arise. When a comment becomes inappropriate or moves the class away from the purpose of the lesson, redirect students back to those expectations and the content you’re studying rather than debating the student’s political position.
