Disclaimer: Because we love discussing politics here, and my boys are cutthroat gamers, we were given Election Night! to play in exchange for our honest review. Also, I will receive a small percentage if you buy the game using the discount code I provided below. You get  10% off and free shipping. I get a bit of change to put towards my kid’s curriculum. Thanks for helping a sister out.

Just here for the goods?
link: Election Night! (This offer has ended)

Election Night Excitement

The excitement of watching the electoral votes add up on election night is an epic night in this homeschool house. It’s like a roulette wheel that spins for hours. Especially the 2016 election. My boys were sucked into the madness from the first debates.

We work to keep ourselves and our kids politically awake. Not to be confused with “woke.” Ugh. Which is to say that we stay informed on the truth behind the punches thrown from the left and the right.  We want our kids to know how our government and election system works, it’s foundation, and the importance of maintaining the Electoral College as the method for choosing the next President of the United States. 

Make learning about the electoral college great again!
(ahem..)

On election night each tick up toward the magic number 270 brings hope to one political party and burning anxiety to the other. It is a thrilling night for my cut-throat gaming crew. And awesomely educational. Then it’s just over.

Why wait 4 years to relive it?

Election Night!
Learn your way to the White House!

Election Night! The Board Game

Semper Smart Games boxed the battle for the White House into a board game perfect for politically awake homeschool families! Not only did they find a way to harness the excitement and learning of election night, but cleverly disguised sharpening math skills as a race to the White House. Much respect here from a mom who knows what it’s like to homeschool a hardhead who hates all things flashcards and drills.

3 Thumbs up for fast intense game play from the D Boys!!

Fun to be Had/Lessons to be Learned:

1. Intense, fast-paced election fun for the whole family!
2. Discuss How the Electoral College System Works/Why It’s Important (Despite the call to end it.)
3. Learn the Location of all 50 States on the Map (learning without calling it school)
4. Sharpen Addition/Multiplication Facts with Unique Dice (more cleverly hidden learning)
5. Teamwork/Party Strategizing
6. Practice and Discuss Political Decorum
7. Win or Lose Gracefully (unlike the current political climate)

Basic Game Play:

Two Teams
Red vs. Blue
Dress accordingly. (optional, but fun)
Pick your party affiliation. Call it Republicans vs. Democrats,  or strawberries vs. blueberries, whatever fills you with pride or keeps the peace. Choose you candidate, election staff, campaign slogan.

ex. Chuck Schumer impersonation

We had to hold a pre-game primary here (i.e. coin toss) because all my players wanted to be the same party and color. After only mild character assassination attempts all were settled into dueling party headquarters at the dinner table. I’m telling you, cutthroat game nights here, y’all.

Next, choose the side of the double-sided board (addition or multiplication) you will play depending on age of players, mathematical ability, or their need to improve upon it. You can also decide if you want to keep things simple or up the stakes with the (optional) strategy cards.

Teams roll 4 uniquely designed dice and combine numbers rolled into 2 sums (or products). The strategy is deciding which dice to pair to produce the numbers a team needs to snag the electoral votes of the corresponding state they are trying to win.

Some states are winner-take-all. Other states split the vote and a team must roll that product or sum several times to finally win the votes of that state. Or be out campaigned (rolled) by the opposition party!

States are then marked with a blue or red dry-erase marker (included) as their electoral votes are collected and a vote tabulation is kept at the bottom of the board. Imagine, California going red…(snort).

Election Tampering

Silly strategies for influencing the election at our place included dice whispering and gerrymandering (i.e. flipping dice to the floor to ensure a re-roll, or erasing marks on the board accidentally on purpose). Cutthroat I tell ya!

Winning the White House

The first team to 270 votes wins the White House! As the game progresses though, it becomes difficult to roll the exact number needed and turns pass without reward. The desperation mounts as teams steal half-won states from the opposition party. The tension is fabulous! Eventually the polls close quite abruptly and the magic roll happens for one lucky presidential candidate and his team. That moment looks like this….

The Art of the Deal

**OFFER HAS ENDED
Semper Smart Games is offering my hifalutin homeschool friends 10% off purchases plus free shipping. Discount code: ——–

If you are studying government, US History, looking for ways to sneak in learning, or just a new exciting game to add to game night at your place, I recommend this game. Because yes, I’ll make a little money. But know I don’t recommend products I don’t like.

Election Night! hits all the marks. Fun, educational, intense, several challenging ways to play… And it has been truly fun to play with my competitive and increasingly politically savvy homeschoolers!

*This article has been republished from Aug. 2018

Please share!