Ever walked into a classroom and thought, “I wish I was in charge”?  In Mitchell Pace’s 1st and 4th block AP US Government classes, ultimate power still rests firmly in the hands of Pace, who amusingly refers to himself as the class “Dictator.”  But for the first time ever, Dictator Pace recently allowed one student to rise above the rest, becoming “Vice-Dictator.” And it was all to demonstrate the nomination and election process.

A few weeks ago, Pace ran mock elections in each class, allowing seven students (three from his 1st block, four from his 4th block) to run for the office of Vice-Dictator by participating in debates on hot topics, then allowing the rest of his students to vote on who would get the coveted role.

These candidates debated each other on topics as minor as how to change school lunches, to topics as major as immigration and ISIS. The three candidates from 1st block included Dale Shifflett, Kayla Wells, and Jonathan Corbin, while those from 4th block included Keegan Campanelli, Christian Hoffman, Emma Strickland, and Dalton Shifflett.

The process was a wild success. “I definitely plan to keep doing it [each semester],” said Pace. “It’s something I want to do because it’s a great experience, and also one of the best ways for students to learn is by participating,” he added.

After a first round where each AP US Government class held a debate, only one candidate from each class moved onto the final debate. The final debate took place between Jonathan Corbin and Keegan Campanelli, the winners from each class. It was attended by both classes and consisted of random topics generated by Pace and many of his students. Subjects included immigration, ISIS, abortion, and the school budget. Corbin and Campanelli also spent time campaigning—talking to students and trying to influence their votes. In the end, the Vice-Dictator was decided by a vote between all the students from the first period as well as the fourth period.

By the end of the vote, 1st block’s Jonathan Corbin had taken the title of Vice-Dictator by 25 votes to Campanelli’s 18 votes. Campanelli said, “It was a tough loss, but I respect the new Vice-Dictator.” As for Corbin, he said he has yet to issue any dictatorial decrees. “After all, Mr. Pace is still the Dictator,” said Corbin.

The debates proved to be both a fun and educational experience for everyone, from the candidates to the voters. Now, it is just a matter of time to see who will overthrow Vice-Dictator Corbin next year.