Normal Play
Campaign Play
Player vs Player
Player vs Computer
The Electoral College Map Game: Race to 270
Quick Summary: Looking for a fun, interactive way to teach the Electoral College? The Race to 270 is a free, engaging map game designed for middle school, high school, and homeschool social studies classrooms. Students take on the role of presidential candidates, strategically choosing states, rolling dice to run their campaigns, and battling to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. It even includes a Contingent Election tie-breaker simulation if the map ends in a 269-269 tie!
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Choose Your Colors
Select your party color:
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An Interactive Presidential Election Simulation for Students
HOW TO PLAY
Set Your Campaign: Choose "Player vs Player" to battle a classmate, or "Player vs Computer" to test your strategy against the AI. Enter your candidate or party names.
Choose Your Colors: Select from 10 different party colors.
Enable October Surprises: Toggle "Campaign Play" to introduce random, real-world political events (like debate gaffes or celebrity endorsements) that alter your dice rolls.
Run Your Campaign: Take turns selecting states on the interactive map. Both players roll the dice, and the highest roll wins that state's electoral votes.
Race to 270: Watch the progress bar fill up. The first candidate to reach 270 Electoral Votes wins the presidency!
The House Tie-Breaker: If the map ends in an exact 269-269 tie, the 12th Amendment is triggered. The game shifts to a House of Representatives vote where each state gets exactly one vote!
Built for the Classroom: Teacher Tips & Integration
This simulation is designed to be a frictionless, zero-prep addition to any civics, government, or election unit. Here are a few highly engaging ways to utilize the Race to 270 game with your students:
Partner Match-Ups (1-on-1): Utilize the "Player vs Player" mode by pairing students up on a single device. Have them create custom party names and compete directly. This naturally highlights the strategic importance of swing states versus safe states as they battle for the highest electoral yields.
Independent Practice: Have students utilize the "Player vs Computer" mode as an independent activity or station rotation. It is a great way for them to solidify their understanding of state geography, electoral weights, and the math required to reach the 270 threshold.
Whole-Class Smartboard Challenge: Project the game onto your classroom interactive board. Divide the room into two campaign teams, allowing students to take turns coming to the front to select target states, roll the dice, and cheer on their "campaign."
The "October Surprise" Discussion: Use the Campaign Play mode to spark critical thinking about real-world election dynamics. When a random event triggers, pause the game to discuss with the class how media coverage, debate gaffes, and endorsements actively impact voter turnout and polling.
Expand Your Election Curriculum
Looking to take this lesson offline or expand your unit? Add these trusted resources to your teacher toolbox:
The Printable Electoral College Game: Want a hands-on, screen-free alternative? Grab the physical, printable version of this simulation, complete with tabletop dice mechanics, tally sheets, and blank maps.
Teaching the Presidential Election: Dive deeper into election mechanics with a complete breakdown of curriculum bundles, lesson plans, and actionable teaching strategies on the blog.
Electoral College Simulator Map Game & Activity: Presidential Election 2024
$3.00
The Presidential Election is always an exciting time for students. As students watch the Democratic Party candidate and Republican Party candidate campaign to become President, teachers love the opportunity to join in the intrigue and successfully teach about the political process.
One common unknown in this race for the White House, is the mysterious electoral college. Many students are surprised to hear that the President is not necessarily the candidate with the most popular votes, but rather the candidate who wins the most electoral votes.
I have been teaching for many years and have found that this resource actively engages students in learning about the electoral college. This concept of government can certainly be limited to upper level courses, but it doesn't have to be. This resource does a great job of providing a fun competition to guide the learning process of how the electoral college system works and why it is a valid way to elect the president.
This lesson has been a time-tested, teacher-approved success for all of my classes! From elementary through high school, you will find that students love the competition and learning about a complex system they were completely unaware of. I know you will love learning about the electoral college using this fun and engaging game resource!
⭐️ Also available on Teachers Pay Teachers
⭐️ Follow Mister Harms for new releases, updates, and sales!
⭐️ Learn more on my Electoral College Map Game blog post!
What's Included:
Complete set of teacher instructions and game play rules to help guide in preparation and implementation.
Two sets of game play rules. You can choose either way to play the game.
A worksheet with a map of the United States that includes the number of electoral votes for each state.
A game scorecard for students to document the states and electoral votes won.
A set of reflection questions for student partners to complete and discuss.
Game dice are not included in this download!
"This was ridiculously fun! Students requested to play it again, long after the election had passed. Will definitely use it in the future! Thank you!" - Sciulli ★★★★★
⭐️ Read more about this resource on my blog
Thank You!
Thanks so much for stopping by! It's great to meet you! I hope this resource adds value to your classroom. If you have time, I'd love for you to leave a rating on this product with your awesome feedback, and make sure to follow Mister Harms for important updates and savings. I would also love to see how you've incorporated this product into your classroom. Feel free to post a photo of this resource in action and tag @misterharms so I can meet you! I hope you have a wonderful day!
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Frequently Asked Questions: ELECTORAL COLLEGE MAP GAME
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The Race to 270 refers to the 270 electoral votes a presidential candidate must secure to win a majority of the 538 total votes in the United States Electoral College system.
Through a U.S. map and dice rolls, students simulate a real election and learn how the electoral votes from each state determine the next president of the United States!
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If no candidate reaches 270 votes (like a 269-269 tie), the 12th Amendment requires the House of Representatives to decide the election in a process called a Contingent Election. In this scenario, each state delegation casts exactly one vote, and the winner must secure a majority of 26 states.
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Yes! This interactive map game simplifies the complex mechanics of the U.S. election system into an engaging, gamified simulation perfect for social studies and civics students.
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Yes! Download a free electoral map study guide that includes the latest map with accurate electoral votes for each state.
Get the Printable Game Version and play in the classroom or at home with real dice and crayons! It’s classroom favorite!
Explore more election related lessons on the Mister Harms blog
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