Mock elections teach students about the voting process and let them try it out. First make a ballot box: you can decorate a shoebox in red, white and blue and cut a long slot across the top center. You will need a ballot for each student in class. Ballot templates are available from several online sources. Ask your class who would like to run for president, and choose several eager students. Have them come up with three reasons they should be the next president and present these things to the class. This will get the class thinking about what is important when choosing a president. The class will then cast their votes anonymously, and you will tally them up to declare the new "class president."
Campaign buttons are a fun and creative way to encourage fifth-graders to get interested in the election. Buttons can be made with a cardboard circle cutout with a ribbon and pin hot-glued to the back, or with a plastic can lid, a pin back and ribbon or felt. Students can draw, color and paint whatever they want on their campaign buttons but your sample button can contain patriotic colors and say "Future Voter" or something encouraging students about the election. You could even provide old magazines so that students could cut out pictures and create a campaign based around it for fun.
Classroom voting experiments teach students that every vote counts. First introduce the two "future presidents" the students will vote for. One choice can be geared more toward male students and the other geared more toward female students. Have students cast their votes and mark their genders. Tally up the votes of each candidate, divided by gender. Students may see that there is a slight to severe gender bias. Within the next few days, each morning give all students a ballot and tell them they can vote, but it is not required and they will not receive any prizes for voting. At the end of the week, tally up the votes and make note if there are more girls or boys voting. Whichever "candidate" wins will be based on whether or not students voted. Let them know that because students didn't vote, a surprise candidate may have won the election.
Classroom debates help students to better understand presidential debates and allow them to express their opinions. Try to stay away from most of the actual political issues because students may be highly opinionated from home. Create four large posters that say "Agree," "Strongly Agree," "Disagree," and "Strongly Disagree." Post these on each wall of the classroom. Read out a statement such as "People of all ages should be able to vote" or "Everyone should be required to vote" and have students move to the side of the room that portrays their opinions. Call on students to have them explain why they agree or disagree with your statement. Read the next statement and have students move around the room again.