U.S. Presidential Election Campaign Game and Method of Play

Abstract

Described is a United States presidential election campaign board game. The board game includes a game board on which a map of the United States is drawn, wherein the map shows the boundaries between the different states. The game board includes an election headquarters space that is centrally located on the map and which provides the starting space for the game. Players take turns rolling a die that determines the number of spaces players can move along any of a plurality of player paths towards several campaign centers. Players start the game with a predetermined amount of money and raise and spend campaign funds throughout the game in order to gain the highest number of electoral votes. Campaign funds can be used to win electoral votes at each campaign center, and players can gain electoral votes by rolling a die or by drawing from a deck of game cards.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A United States presidential election campaign board game, comprising:
 a game board having a map of the United States drawn thereon, wherein said map shows the boundaries between each state;   a plurality of campaign centers distributed throughout said map, wherein each of said campaign centers corresponds to a particular grouping of states;   an election headquarters located centrally on said map wherein said election headquarters serves as a starting point for gameplay;   a plurality of spaces which are arranged so as to provide player paths, wherein said player paths connect said plurality of campaign centers and said election headquarters and wherein one or more of said player paths intersect;   a plurality of player pieces used by each player to traverse said spaces on said player paths;   a deck of game cards wherein each card comprises game play instructions thereon;   one or more die for determining the number of spaces said player piece must move during a player's turn;   a bank comprising a plurality of denominations of game money for distribution to players throughout gameplay.   
     
     
         2 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein said deck of game cards includes cards comprising presidential and election trivia questions. 
     
     
         3 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein each state on said game board is labeled with said state's name, number of electoral votes, and a roll number corresponding to said numbers on said die. 
     
     
         4 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein each of said groupings of states is a different color. 
     
     
         5 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of spaces comprises red, white, and blue spaces, wherein a player must draw from said deck of game cards when a player piece lands on a red space. 
     
     
         6 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein said denominations include $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000. 
     
     
         7 ) The board game of  claim 1 , further comprising a deck of state cards wherein each card in said deck of state cards corresponds to one of the fifty states or the District of Columbia. 
     
     
         8 ) The board game of  claim 1 , wherein each state corresponds to only one of said campaign centers. 
     
     
         9 ) A method for playing a U.S. presidential election campaign board game, comprising the steps of:
 providing a game board on which a map of the United States is drawn, and on which a plurality of campaign centers are distributed;
 wherein said campaign centers are connected by a plurality of spaces that define player paths; 
 wherein an election headquarters is connected to said player paths and provides a starting point for gameplay; 
   providing each of several players with a unique player piece;   providing each of several players with a predetermined amount of game money;   placing said player pieces on said election headquarters;   rolling a die to indicate the number of spaces a player piece must move during a player's turn;   moving said player piece towards said campaign centers wherein players can gain electoral votes at said campaign centers;   continuing to travel to said campaign centers to gain electoral votes until a player accumulates a required number of electoral votes to win the presidency.   
     
     
         10 ) The method of play of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 paying a campaign center fee when a player piece occupies one of said campaign centers.   
     
     
         11 ) The method of play of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 rolling a die when a player piece lands on one of said campaign centers, wherein a player gains electoral votes of a state in said campaign center's grouping of states when said player rolls a number corresponding to a state's roll number.   
     
     
         12 ) The method of play of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 drawing a game card from a deck of game cards and following the instructions thereon when a player lands on a designated space.   
     
     
         13 ) The method of play of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a game card wherein said game card comprises a presidential trivia question;   asking a second player to answer said presidential trivia question;   paying money to said second player for answering said presidential trivia question correctly.   
     
     
         14 ) The method of play of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 winning a state's electoral votes;   drawing a state card corresponding to said state.