Political Science & US Elections

As the 2024 presidential election kicks into high gear this summer, students will get a hands-on education into how elections are actually conducted in the U.S. from the campaign perspective and an administrative and constitutional lens. This course will be a great opportunity for students to make connections for possible jobs and internships in the political world as well as in local government. It will allow them to survey the field to explore their own interests while also allowing them to become better engaged and informed participants in democracy.

Learning Outcomes in this course

• Gain a solid grasp of various departments and job responsibilities of campaign staffers in Presidential campaigns.

• Understand the administration of different voting systems used in the United States, including vote by mail, and understand how ballots are tabulated and elections certified.

• Engage in various issues surrounding the administration of elections in the United States, particularly that of issues surrounding election denialism and election integrity.

• Understand the constitutional issues surrounding the mechanism of the electoral college, and the certification process of the election of President of the United States.

Proposed Activities

TBD

Instructor

Quemars Ahmed, Lecturer Cal Poly SLO

Quemars Ahmed was born and raised in California and is honored to teach at one of its great public universities. Ahmed graduated with his J.D. from UCLA Law where he was editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review. Professor Ahmed also holds his Bachelor of Science in Diplomacy & International Relations from Seton Hall University. Since graduating from law school, he has worked on presidential campaigns, focusing on voter protection, and has practiced law. Currently, he is working in the field of election law research.