What happens in the run up to a general election?

Students begin by recapping what they already know about general elections by filling in the gaps in a sentence using keywords. They learn about the timing of general elections, find out about dissolving Parliament and explore how political parties and candidates campaign nationally and locally. Further discussion focuses on political campaigning in relation to the media, including rules for the media and false and misleading information. At the end of the session, students explore the issue of voter turnout, the pros and cons of compulsory voting, and debate whether voting should be made compulsory in the UK.