Because this was a school event, there had to be clear rules about what campaigns could and could not do on social media. These rules were put in place to keep things fair, honest, and safe for everyone involved. Mr. Gilligan, the teacher running the mock election, made sure both campaigns understood the rules before they started posting. The goal was to let campaigns share their ideas freely, but also to prevent any unfair advantages or negative behavior.

One of the most important rules was the “one-third rule.” This meant that in any post, no more than one-third of the content could be just for looks, like graphics or pictures. The other two-thirds had to be actual information about the campaign, the candidates, or the election. This rule was meant to stop campaigns from posting things that looked nice but said nothing useful. Voters needed to know where candidates stood on issues, when events were happening, and how to vote. The rule helped keep the focus on what really mattered.

Mr. Gilligan also set standards for what counted as good information. He said that all information had to be relevant to the election, which meant no random posts about things that did not matter to voters. It also had to be accurate. Campaigns could not make up facts or stretch the truth to make themselves look better. Any and all information from outside sources had to be cited and included somewhere in the post so that students could check the information themselves. Everything also had to be appropriate for a school setting, which meant no mean comments about others and nothing that would make students feel ‘uncomfortable’.

Another important rule was about honesty and transparency. Every post and every account had to clearly include the words “Masterman Mock Election.” This was not optional. The reason for this rule was to make sure no one confused the mock election with a real political campaign. In Pennsylvania, real campaigning is not allowed in public schools, so it was important to keep everything clearly labeled as a school event. This also helped students understand that while the election was serious, it was still a learning experience and not connected to actual politics.

Finally, there was a strict rule against negative campaigning. This meant no attacking the other candidate, no spreading rumors, and no trying to make the other side look bad. Both campaigns had to keep things respectful, even if they disagreed. This rule applied to everything posted on social media, but it also applied to what people said in person or in group chats. The idea was to keep the election fun and fair, and to teach students that politics does not have to be nasty or personal.