Overview

Campaign Trail: The Game of Presidential Elections is a strategy board game where players run presidential campaigns, competing to win enough electoral votes to become President of the United States. Players use card-driven actions to campaign in states, collect voters, and outmaneuver opponents. The goal is to have the most voters in enough states to secure a majority of electoral votes.

Components

• Game board (map of the United States with states and electoral vote values)
• Player tokens/campaign markers
• Action cards (each with a choice among 4 of the game’s 6 actions)
• Voter tokens
• Electoral vote tracking
• State cards

Setup

1. Place the board (US map) in the center of the table.
2. Each player selects a party/candidate and takes the corresponding campaign markers.
3. Shuffle the action card deck and deal starting hands.
4. Place voter tokens in their starting positions.
5. Determine starting player.

Turn Structure

On each turn:

1. Play one action card from your hand.
2. Choose one of the 4 actions available on that card (each card offers a choice among 4 of the game’s 6 possible actions).
3. Execute the chosen action.
4. Draw a new card.

Actions

The game has 6 possible actions, of which each card offers a choice of 4:

Campaign:

• Place voter tokens in a state to increase your support there.

Fundraise:

• Gain resources that enable more powerful future actions.

Media:

• Influence public opinion, potentially shifting voters in multiple states.

Attack:

• Reduce an opponent’s support in a target state.

Rally:

• Strengthen support in states where you already have a presence.

Special Event:

• Trigger a unique event with game-changing effects.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At the end of the game, each state is evaluated: the player with the most voters in a state wins all of that state’s electoral votes (winner-take-all, reflecting the US Electoral College system).

The player with the most total electoral votes wins the presidency and the game. A majority of electoral votes may be required depending on the specific rules variant.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Electoral College System: States have different numbers of electoral votes based on their real-world proportions. Winning large states (California, Texas, New York) is worth more than small states, but small states are often easier to win.
• Card-Driven Actions: The card system means you don’t always have access to the action you want. Hand management and timing are critical.
• Swing States: States where no player has a clear lead are the most contested and strategically important.
• Multiple Players: With more than 2 players, vote splitting becomes a factor — two candidates targeting the same state may allow a third to win elsewhere.
• Campaign Strategy: Players must balance between solidifying their base states and competing in swing states.

Player Reference

Action	Effect
Campaign	Add voters in a state
Fundraise	Gain resources for future actions
Media	Shift voters across multiple states
Attack	Reduce opponent’s support in a state
Rally	Strengthen existing support
Special Event	Unique game-changing effect

Win condition: Most electoral votes (winner-take-all per state) Card system: Each card offers 4 of 6 possible actions Theme: US Presidential election campaign