As Election Day approaches, I find myself increasingly interested in the election. Social media and news outlets are filled with election-related content, especially here in Arizona, a 2024 Election swing state. Many of my family members have asked me questions like, “Who do you think will win?” and “Will Arizona become a blue state?” These questions reminded me how personal and important this election is for many people. It’s made me realize the stakes of this election—it’s something that will affect the very core of my community.

Even in my school, students will often discuss the election. It has been fascinating to hear my friends’ thoughts, ranging from political alignment to specific policies that each candidate proposes. Being able to discuss this is a privilege, and it feels like everyone is beginning to learn more about how elections work and the importance of voting in our current political landscape. However, many of my classmates seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of the electoral process. Much of their confusion stems from their lack of understanding of the Electoral College. Students seem to not realize the importance of their vote in battleground states like Arizona. The stakes have never been higher, yet voters still don’t understand the very system that elects the president!

I realized what has allowed me to engage in these conversations: Election Lab Online. ELO has made understanding the Electoral College into a fun and exciting game. I was learning without even realizing how much I was learning. 

I recently came across a video that explained Pennsylvania’s significance in the upcoming election. It explained that Pennsylvania has become one of the most crucial swing states this year. The video explained that if Pennsylvania’s electoral college votes Democrat, the Republican candidate would need to win the other five key swing states to win (https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFv5nHc5/).

I couldn’t help but chuckle, recalling a similar scenario from my games in Election Lab Online. During Election Lab Online events, I got so engaged that not only did I play the game, but also experimented and tested different swing states’ campaign strategies. I would often consider purposely losing Pennsylvania to win other states or heavily investing in it, inadvertently mirroring real-life campaign tactics. 

In addition to the basic strategy games, in Election Lab Online, one can also play an advanced version with the event cards – connected to actual events of the election year. Event cards simulate candidates who adjust their strategies based on voter demographics. They highlight relevant issues according to their audience, appealing to their concerns. Using mathematics and statistics, I’ve also begun to correlate polling data to the likelihood of certain outcomes in real life, as exemplified by the dice rolling and resource mechanics in ELO. How cool is that?

I’ve learned so much about the importance of the Electoral College and the unique role of swing states like Arizona. This game made me feel like a true campaign strategist, forcing me to calculate electoral votes and potential outcomes just like in real life. Just like the strategies I practiced in the game, candidates are forced to consider trade-offs between time, money, and outcomes. ELO is more than just a game; it has become the foundation of my understanding of the election.