Election (novel)

Election is a 1998 novel by Tom Perrotta. It is a black comedy about a high school history teacher who attempts to sabotage a manipulative, overly-ambitious girl's campaign to become school president. In 1999, the novel was adapted into a film of the same title.

Synopsis

The novel centers on a high school in Winwood, in suburban New Jersey, where students are preparing to vote for their school president. The story takes place in 1992, amidst the U.S. Presidential Elections that year. Tracy Flick is an unpopular girl but very ambitious, intelligent and manipulative (And even described as attractive and rather buxom by some teachers and fellow students.) however, she is not quite as perfect as her classmates assume. She had a heated sexual affair with her former teacher, and after Tracy told her mother of their relationship, his career and marriage were ruined. One of Tracy's current teachers, James T. "Jim" McAllister, known as "Mr. M." to his students, learns that Tracy is taking part in the election, and feeling that Tracy needs to be taken down a notch, prompts Paul Warren (a student of whom he approves) to run against her. In turn, Paul's outcast lesbian sister, Tammy, begins a reckless campaign to be school president in retaliation to her ex-girlfriend who is now dating Paul. The novel ends with Mr. M ultimately losing his job as a teacher when it is found that he has sabotaged the election by pocketing Tracy's winning votes- making Paul the winner of the presidency. Mr. M then ends up working in a car dealership.

Election (TV series)

Election is a BAFTA award-winning political TV series for children won by Quincy Washington, presented by Angellica Bell and judged by Jonathan Dimbleby. It first aired on BBC One.

Format

Election challenges ten contestants to take part in political challenges in two teams (Purple and Green) - similar to The Apprentice. Each week a celebrity guest mentors both teams and examines them in a skills test, where the winning team will gain an advantage for the main challenge. The winning team will go on a treat and the losing team face Jonathan Dimbleby where one will be told "Your Campaign is Over", where the one will be evicted. The ten-part series culminates in the last two contestants (Hazel and Quincy) battling out at Parliament. In the end Quincy Washington from Buckinghamshire wins a personal meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street

Episodes

Auditions

In this first episode, 16 hopefuls enter Leadership Camp to be tested on their skills of decision making, teamwork and persuasiveness. Only ten will make it through to live in Leadership House.

Writ of election

A writ of election is a writ issued ordering the holding of an election. In Commonwealth countries writs are the usual mechanism by which general elections are called and are issued by the head of state or their representative. In the United States, it is more commonly used to call a special election for a political office.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a writ is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons. When the government wants to or is required to dissolve Parliament, a writ of election is drawn up for each constituency in the UK by the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery. They are then formally issued by the monarch.

Where a single seat becomes vacant, a writ is also issued to trigger the by-election for that seat.

Canada

In Canada, a writ is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons. When the government wants to or is required to dissolve Parliament, a writ of election is drawn up for each riding in Canada by the Chief Electoral Officer. They are then formally issued by the Governor-General.