candidate (noun) a person being considered for a position

• Sample Sentence: Sam Ellis was a strong supporter of one candidate for president.
• Turn and Talk: What do you think makes for a strong presidential candidate?

campaign (noun) a political contest; a series of activities to achieve a goal

• Sample Sentence: During campaigns, we learn a lot about political candidates.
• Turn and Talk: What are some things that candidates do during a presidential campaign?

*campaign (verb) to work towards a goal (such as winning an election)

• Sample Sentence: Some countries do not allow politicians to campaign on television because they do not want wealthier candidates to have an unfair advantage.
• Turn and Talk: Do you think politicians should be allowed to campaign on television? Why or why not?

ethics (noun) beliefs about what is morally right

• Sample Sentence: Some people ask how we, the public, can understand a candidate’s ethics if we don’t know about his or her personal life.
• Turn and Talk: What are some examples of ethics in school?

issue (noun) a matter of concern; an important topic of debate

• Sample Sentence: Some people think we should focus on how candidates will handle crucial issues like terrorism, education, and global warming, not how they handle their marriage or their private mistakes.
• Turn and Talk: Which issue needs to be addressed more urgently in your community: teen smoking or teen pregnancy? Explain.

*issue (verb) to give out or supply

• Sample Sentence: The mayor issued 100 extra building permits to allow for more construction in the city.
• Turn and Talk: Would students learn more if they were issued digital tablets to use in the classroom? Explain your answer.

display (verb) to show something; to put something where people can see it

• Sample Sentence: If one day you decided to run for public office, you could be sure that photos from your past would be displayed in newspapers, on television, and all over the internet.
• Turn and Talk: Where in your school are awards displayed?

*display (noun) a performance or exhibit

• Sample Sentence: The soldier was honored with a medal for his display of courage on the battlefield.
• Turn and Talk: Should athletes be disciplined for making emotional displays when they don’t agree with a referee’s call?