Mr. President

Overview

Mr. President is a political campaign simulation board game originally published by 3M in 1967. Players represent presidential candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties, campaigning across the United States to win electoral votes. The game uses dice rolling, card play, and strategic resource allocation to simulate the American presidential election process.

Components

• 1 game board (US map with states and electoral votes)
• Campaign tokens
• Dice
• Campaign cards
• Electoral vote counters
• Money/resource tokens
• Player reference cards

Setup

1. Place the board in the center of the table.
2. Each player chooses a party (Republican or Democratic) and selects a fictional candidate.
3. Distribute starting campaign resources.
4. Place electoral vote markers in their starting positions.

Turn Structure

Each turn represents a period of the campaign:

1. Allocate campaign resources to states.
2. Play campaign cards for effects.
3. Roll dice to resolve campaign events.
4. Adjust electoral vote standings based on results.

Actions

Campaign Activities

• Allocate resources to target states.
• Play campaign cards for bonuses, media attention, or opponent penalties.
• Respond to random events that affect the campaign.
• Focus on swing states for maximum electoral impact.

Electoral College

Each state has a set number of electoral votes based on 1960s data. The player who wins a state’s campaign receives all its electoral votes.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The candidate with 270 or more electoral votes wins the presidency. If no candidate reaches 270, the player closest to that threshold wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The game includes rules for 2-player and 3-4 player configurations.
• Third-party candidates may appear as random events.
• Campaign finance rules limit how much can be spent in each state.
• Some states are “safe” for one party and harder to flip.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Allocate	Distribute campaign resources to states
Play	Use campaign cards for effects
Resolve	Roll dice for campaign events
Score	Tally electoral votes by state
Win	270+ electoral votes