Parsippany Students Stage Mock 2026 Election Campaigns
AP Government students at Parsippany High School pitched campaigns for assigned candidates at a Meet The Candidates Forum.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Parsippany High School held its Meet The Candidates Forum on Friday, October 30, where AP Government students presented campaigns for candidates they were assigned for the 2026 General Election. All 33 students in the course, taught by Keith Campbell across two sections, attended the Forum.
Why it matters
The project introduced students to the election process, key terminology, voter registration, and sample ballots for Parsippany. Preparing campaigns for real upcoming races gave students hands-on experience with civic participation in their own town.
Enrollment records show 33 students across two AP Government sections, and all 33 attended the Forum. The source does not report how many teams competed or any evaluation results.
The players
Keith Campbell
Keith Campbell is the AP Government teacher at Parsippany High School who taught the two sections participating in the election project.
Parsippany High School
Parsippany High School is the public high school in Parsippany that hosted the Meet The Candidates Forum for its AP Government students.
The details
Student teams each researched an assigned candidate, the office sought, and opposing candidates before designing campaigns. Each team produced a works cited page, research notes, a campaign poster, a takeaway item, a social media video or advertisement, and a trifold display board.
Timeline
Two weeks before October 30, 2026: Students completed the election project and campaign preparation.
Friday, October 30, 2026: Parsippany High School held the Meet The Candidates Forum.
November 2026: The 2026 General Election that students simulated campaigns for.
Civic Education Context
The project follows the College Board's AP Government framework, which asks students to analyze how elections and political campaigns function in practice. Parsippany's version turns that framework into a full mock campaign ahead of the 2026 General Election.
Parsippany residents can review the sample ballots and voter registration steps students studied before the 2026 General Election. The project offers a concrete model for how local voters can research candidates and offices before casting a ballot.
The takeaway
Researching a candidate's record and the office they seek before voting is the core skill the students practiced. Checking your own sample ballot and registration status ahead of the November election is a direct step any Parsippany voter can take.
Further reading
Explore more on Parsippany elections to see how local races are shaping up.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New Jersey Hills.
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