Just for… The Student Council Adviser

This page provides resource information for supervising the SchoolVote program.

A Model Election Schedule

We suggest allocating three or four weeks for an election cycle. A three-week cycle would have the following periods of activity:

Week 1 - Nomination Period: Accept candidate nominating petitions from candidates. At the end of this period, distribute a list of candidates to teachers and to Project preVote. Post the list in high-traffic areas of the school (e.g., lunch rooms) for viewing by students.
Week 2 - Endorsement Collection Period: Candidates should try to collect as many detailed endorsements as they can. At the beginning of this period, give candidates their login IDs, explain where the candidate login link is located (bottom of SchoolVote web pages), and advise them to read the instructions displayed after they log in. If you have made arrangements with Project preVote to publish candidate photos online, collect the photos and forward them to Project preVote at this time.
Week 3 - Campaign Period: Mobilize voters to access and read information about candidates published on the SchoolVote website. Begin by giving candidates campaign cards for distribution to other students (see below). Consider posting SchoolVote signs in hallways and near school entrances (see below), and announcing the availability of the SchoolVote website using the school's PA system.
Election Day: Hold an assembly for campaign speeches by candidates and conduct elections. Consider adding survey questions to ballots or taking exit polls. The data collected can be used to evaluate the SchoolVote program.

Program Support

Support for Student Council Advisers is available by telephone and email:

Telephone Support: (231) 869-8888
Email Support: support@schoolvote.org

Promotions to Voters

Recommended methods of promoting the SchoolVote program to student voters include posting SchoolVote signs, announcing the availability of the SchoolVote website on the school's PA system, and having candidates distribute campaign cards.

-SchoolVote Signs

Consider creating signs on poster paper that look like the following, and placing them in hallways and near school entrances:

Click on the image above to download a template file (11"x8.5") that you can edit and print using Microsoft® Word®.

-Candidate Campaign Cards

Students can be encouraged to use the SchoolVote website by giving candidates "campaign cards" for distribution. The cards are the same size as business cards, but can be printed on plain paper, preferably with a color laser printer, and should be customized for each candidate. Here is a prototype card for candidate "John Adams" at Sample High School:

Click on the image above to download a template file that you can edit and print using Microsoft® Word®. After printing, cut 1/2" off the top and bottom of the page and 3/4" off the right and left sides. Then cut the cards to standard size (2" x 3.5").

Program Elements

We encourage schools to provide training for candidates on the proper use of the SchoolVote program and to conduct exit polls that access the extent and nature of SchoolVote program participation by students.

-Candidate Training

SchoolVote training sessions for candidates explain how candidates can incorporate the SchoolVote program into their campaigns. They also motivate candidates to begin collecting and publishing endorsements. The sessions can be short (about 45 minutes) because the candidate interface, which candidates use to enter their profile information and endorsements, is simple and intuitive. The first time the SchoolVote program is implemented at a given school, a staff member (typically either the student council adviser or a technology curriculum instructor) will conduct the training session. Subsequently, elected student council officers may conduct the sessions.

For reference during training sessions, print the following summary of topics:

If you are unable to schedule a candidate training session, or if some of the candidates are not able to attend, explain to the untrained candidates that detailed instructions will be presented to them online after they log in. Student council advisers can view those instructions by logging into the Sample Candidate account. They should have received access codes for that account by email after the school registered to use the SchoolVote program.

-Exit Polls

Exit polls collect information needed by schools and by Project preVote to evaluate each implementation of the SchoolVote program. In addition to collecting information, they encourage participating students to reflect on their role in the election--how well they prepared for it, especially--and impress upon all students the idea that political activities beyond voting are a normal part of life in a democracy. Consider using the following procedure:

Ask seniors enrolled in a government class to conduct the polls.
Assign one or more classrooms to teams of two exit pollers each.
Have the pollers in each team select a few students from each classroom at random.
Have the selected students complete exit poll forms shortly after turning in their ballots.
Have the pollers collect completed forms and submit them to the student council adviser.

We recommend numbering blank exit poll forms sequentially in advance to ensure that none are lost during the exit polling process. Once collected from exit pollers, the forms can be entered into a utility program that is part of the SchoolVote online system, for automatic transfer to an excel spreadsheet. Project preVote will analyze the data and deliver a summary report of results (graphs, mostly) to the student council adviser.

The following document can be customized or used as is for conducting exit polls:

Exit Poll Q/A Form (MS Word® file)

A alternative method of collecting data about SchoolVote program utilization is adding questions to ballots. This method can be used in lieu of or in addition to exit polling.

Civics teachers can use data collected from exit polls and ballot surveys to enhance discussions of important civics concepts, including citizenship, empowerment, and representation. For lesson plan ideas, click here (MS Word® file).

Program Upgrades

The following program upgrades are available on request.

-Candidate Photos

To publish candidate photos on your SchoolVote website, send photo files as email attachments to support@schoolvote.org, along with appropriate identifying information (your name, the name of your school, the name of each candidate, the office each candidate is running for, and the name of the attached photo file for each candidate). Email messages larger than 1 megabyte, including all attachments, may not transfer successfully, so it is a good idea to reduce photos before sending them, and to attach just a few photos to each message.

Candidate photos published at SchoolVote websites are 120 pixels wide. You may reduce them to that size using photo editing software, or submit larger photos which will be edited. The Preview function in Windows® XP has photo editing capabilities. To use it, right click on a photo, left click on the Preview option, select "Edit Pictures..." from the menu at the top of the page, and then either resize or crop the image to the required size. The vertical dimension of a photo can be in a range of about 120 to 190 pixels, with 160 being the norm.

-Election Results

Election results can be displayed in the candidate table on the Browse page. The browse page is displayed whenever a user presses the Browse button in the left panel. Student council advisers forward election results to Project preVote by email.

-Multiple Elections

SchoolVote websites can support multiple election campaigns concurrently, such as campaigns for student council, class representatives and mock election campaigns in civics classes. The number of election campaigns, and the number of offices listed in each campaign, may be limited depending on SchoolVote program funding methods. For example, a school using a program funding plan arranged by Project preVote may be limited to five elections (distinguished by ballots) and five offices per ballot. If you would like your SchoolVote website to support multiple elections and are unsure what limits apply, please contact Project preVote.

-Analysis of Survey Data

SchoolVote websites include a utility for entering and uploading raw data from surveys (e.g., ballot surveys and exit polls), and offloading that data to a Microsoft Excel worksheet. The worksheet can be emailed to a student council adviser or other party for review and analysis. When schools use one of the standard sets of survey questions developed by Project preVote, they can have Project preVote analyze the data.

-Off-site access

By default, access to a school’s SchoolVote website is restricted to computers located on site. This restriction is implemented by validating the IP address of client computers. Typically, a school will have either one unique IP address or a range of contiguous addresses for its computers. Project preVote can override certain off-site access restrictions at the request of school administrators. The overrides available differ based on the type of user to whom special off-site privileges will be granted:

The Adviser: The student council adviser can be permitted to access the school’s SchoolVote website from an off-site location, such as a home computer. There is no visible difference between this type of access and on-site access using one of the school’s computers. This feature can be implemented only for a computer that has a stable IP address. Typically, that means it will have a high speed internet connection.

Candidates: Candidates can be allowed to use their account IDs and passwords to access their accounts from any Internet-connected computer, in order to maintain their profile pages and endorsements. This privilege, when granted to candidates, does not allow them to use the voter interface. Therefore, it does not allow candidates to use off-site computers to view information about other candidates.

Students: Students can be permitted to view a redacted version of the voter interface from any internet-connected computer for a period of time, such as a few days before an election. The voter interface for off-site access does not display contact information for any candidate or endorsement provider, or information about candidates and endorsement providers who have not obtained written off-site access approvals from their parents. Student council advisers inform Project preVote as to which candidates endorsement providers should have their information displayed on off-site computers.

-Customized Web Pages

The following SchoolVote web pages can be customized for an individual school: Home, FAQ, About Us, Our Mission, SchoolVote Supporters, Privacy Policy, Contact Us, “Just for… Candidates”, “Just for… Teachers”, and “Just for… The Student Council Adviser.”



	My Application				Just for… The Student Council Adviser This page provides resource information for supervising the SchoolVote program. A Model Election Schedule We suggest allocating three or four weeks for an election cycle. A three-week cycle would have the following periods of activity: Week 1 - Nomination Period: Accept candidate nominating petitions from candidates. At the end of this period, distribute a list of candidates to teachers and to Project preVote. Post the list in high-traffic areas of the school (e.g., lunch rooms) for viewing by students. Week 2 - Endorsement Collection Period: Candidates should try to collect as many detailed endorsements as they can. At the beginning of this period, give candidates their login IDs, explain where the candidate login link is located (bottom of SchoolVote web pages), and advise them to read the instructions displayed after they log in. If you have made arrangements with Project preVote to publish candidate photos online, collect the photos and forward them to Project preVote at this time. Week 3 - Campaign Period: Mobilize voters to access and read information about candidates published on the SchoolVote website. Begin by giving candidates campaign cards for distribution to other students (see below). Consider posting SchoolVote signs in hallways and near school entrances (see below), and announcing the availability of the SchoolVote website using the school's PA system. Election Day: Hold an assembly for campaign speeches by candidates and conduct elections. Consider adding survey questions to ballots or taking exit polls. The data collected can be used to evaluate the SchoolVote program. Program Support Support for Student Council Advisers is available by telephone and email: Telephone Support: (231) 869-8888 Email Support: support@schoolvote.org Promotions to Voters Recommended methods of promoting the SchoolVote program to student voters include posting SchoolVote signs, announcing the availability of the SchoolVote website on the school's PA system, and having candidates distribute campaign cards. -SchoolVote Signs Consider creating signs on poster paper that look like the following, and placing them in hallways and near school entrances: Click on the image above to download a template file (11"x8.5") that you can edit and print using Microsoft® Word®. -Candidate Campaign Cards Students can be encouraged to use the SchoolVote website by giving candidates "campaign cards" for distribution. The cards are the same size as business cards, but can be printed on plain paper, preferably with a color laser printer, and should be customized for each candidate. Here is a prototype card for candidate "John Adams" at Sample High School: Click on the image above to download a template file that you can edit and print using Microsoft® Word®. After printing, cut 1/2" off the top and bottom of the page and 3/4" off the right and left sides. Then cut the cards to standard size (2" x 3.5"). Program Elements We encourage schools to provide training for candidates on the proper use of the SchoolVote program and to conduct exit polls that access the extent and nature of SchoolVote program participation by students. -Candidate Training SchoolVote training sessions for candidates explain how candidates can incorporate the SchoolVote program into their campaigns. They also motivate candidates to begin collecting and publishing endorsements. The sessions can be short (about 45 minutes) because the candidate interface, which candidates use to enter their profile information and endorsements, is simple and intuitive. The first time the SchoolVote program is implemented at a given school, a staff member (typically either the student council adviser or a technology curriculum instructor) will conduct the training session. Subsequently, elected student council officers may conduct the sessions. For reference during training sessions, print the following summary of topics: Session Summary (Microsoft® Word® format) Session Summary (Adobe® Acrobat® format) If you are unable to schedule a candidate training session, or if some of the candidates are not able to attend, explain to the untrained candidates that detailed instructions will be presented to them online after they log in. Student council advisers can view those instructions by logging into the Sample Candidate account. They should have received access codes for that account by email after the school registered to use the SchoolVote program. -Exit Polls Exit polls collect information needed by schools and by Project preVote to evaluate each implementation of the SchoolVote program. In addition to collecting information, they encourage participating students to reflect on their role in the election--how well they prepared for it, especially--and impress upon all students the idea that political activities beyond voting are a normal part of life in a democracy. Consider using the following procedure: Ask seniors enrolled in a government class to conduct the polls. Assign one or more classrooms to teams of two exit pollers each. Have the pollers in each team select a few students from each classroom at random. Have the selected students complete exit poll forms shortly after turning in their ballots. Have the pollers collect completed forms and submit them to the student council adviser. We recommend numbering blank exit poll forms sequentially in advance to ensure that none are lost during the exit polling process. Once collected from exit pollers, the forms can be entered into a utility program that is part of the SchoolVote online system, for automatic transfer to an excel spreadsheet. Project preVote will analyze the data and deliver a summary report of results (graphs, mostly) to the student council adviser. The following document can be customized or used as is for conducting exit polls: Exit Poll Q/A Form (MS Word® file) A alternative method of collecting data about SchoolVote program utilization is adding questions to ballots. This method can be used in lieu of or in addition to exit polling. Civics teachers can use data collected from exit polls and ballot surveys to enhance discussions of important civics concepts, including citizenship, empowerment, and representation. For lesson plan ideas, click here (MS Word® file). Program Upgrades The following program upgrades are available on request. -Candidate Photos To publish candidate photos on your SchoolVote website, send photo files as email attachments to support@schoolvote.org, along with appropriate identifying information (your name, the name of your school, the name of each candidate, the office each candidate is running for, and the name of the attached photo file for each candidate). Email messages larger than 1 megabyte, including all attachments, may not transfer successfully, so it is a good idea to reduce photos before sending them, and to attach just a few photos to each message. Candidate photos published at SchoolVote websites are 120 pixels wide. You may reduce them to that size using photo editing software, or submit larger photos which will be edited. The Preview function in Windows® XP has photo editing capabilities. To use it, right click on a photo, left click on the Preview option, select "Edit Pictures..." from the menu at the top of the page, and then either resize or crop the image to the required size. The vertical dimension of a photo can be in a range of about 120 to 190 pixels, with 160 being the norm. -Election Results Election results can be displayed in the candidate table on the Browse page. The browse page is displayed whenever a user presses the Browse button in the left panel. Student council advisers forward election results to Project preVote by email. -Multiple Elections SchoolVote websites can support multiple election campaigns concurrently, such as campaigns for student council, class representatives and mock election campaigns in civics classes. The number of election campaigns, and the number of offices listed in each campaign, may be limited depending on SchoolVote program funding methods. For example, a school using a program funding plan arranged by Project preVote may be limited to five elections (distinguished by ballots) and five offices per ballot. If you would like your SchoolVote website to support multiple elections and are unsure what limits apply, please contact Project preVote. -Analysis of Survey Data SchoolVote websites include a utility for entering and uploading raw data from surveys (e.g., ballot surveys and exit polls), and offloading that data to a Microsoft Excel worksheet. The worksheet can be emailed to a student council adviser or other party for review and analysis. When schools use one of the standard sets of survey questions developed by Project preVote, they can have Project preVote analyze the data. -Off-site access By default, access to a school’s SchoolVote website is restricted to computers located on site. This restriction is implemented by validating the IP address of client computers. Typically, a school will have either one unique IP address or a range of contiguous addresses for its computers. Project preVote can override certain off-site access restrictions at the request of school administrators. The overrides available differ based on the type of user to whom special off-site privileges will be granted: The Adviser: The student council adviser can be permitted to access the school’s SchoolVote website from an off-site location, such as a home computer. There is no visible difference between this type of access and on-site access using one of the school’s computers. This feature can be implemented only for a computer that has a stable IP address. Typically, that means it will have a high speed internet connection. Candidates: Candidates can be allowed to use their account IDs and passwords to access their accounts from any Internet-connected computer, in order to maintain their profile pages and endorsements. This privilege, when granted to candidates, does not allow them to use the voter interface. Therefore, it does not allow candidates to use off-site computers to view information about other candidates. Students: Students can be permitted to view a redacted version of the voter interface from any internet-connected computer for a period of time, such as a few days before an election. The voter interface for off-site access does not display contact information for any candidate or endorsement provider, or information about candidates and endorsement providers who have not obtained written off-site access approvals from their parents. Student council advisers inform Project preVote as to which candidates endorsement providers should have their information displayed on off-site computers. -Customized Web Pages The following SchoolVote web pages can be customized for an individual school: Home, FAQ, About Us, Our Mission, SchoolVote Supporters, Privacy Policy, Contact Us, “Just for… Candidates”, “Just for… Teachers”, and “Just for… The Student Council Adviser.”