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July 20, 2026
Explore the role of the Election Assistance Commission, election administration, and public trust in voting as students examine efforts to oversee U.S. elections and discuss election integrity.
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Preparations for elections can take months or years. From registering voters to maintaining voting machines, it is carried out by state and local jurisdictions, with support from the federal government. But in this election year, the agency that helps those efforts is effectively unable to function. Geoff Bennett spoke with Thomas Hicks, who served on the Election Assistance Commission.
View the transcript of the story.
Media literacy: Read over the following image on bipartisan agreement over government responsibility. After reviewing the image, ask yourself:
It is important to understand that even as young students, understanding the roles different branches of government play is crucial to gaining political literacy. Break up into small groups and select one political group as follows:
After the group has made their selection, take time to research more on the different branches that exist within the form of government selected. Understand who your government type serves and what each branches overarching goal is. Once you are finished, share with the class your discoveries.
Written by PBS News Hour Classroom Intern Justin Vasquez with editing from Luke Gerwe.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
Explore our election resources to engage your students in learning about the election process and its significance at every level. Discover lessons on election fundamentals, laws, security, current events, youth involvement, and historic U.S. elections.
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