Some of the best fundraisers are both fun and educational, and this is one of them.
Many of us at one time or another have thought about running for political office, and this is a fun and easy way to have a go at it — participants can run their own campaign for fun and elect someone to an honorary position. The position can be anything you like: Mayor for the Day or Grand Marshal of a local parade in your area, perhaps.
Keep the election small and have a few different candidates competing against each other. You might want to use your imagination and invent a handful of political parties to compete against each other.
Here's where the fundraising comes in: collect money instead of votes as the campaigns progress. One penny equals one vote, and make sure to leave the special ballot boxes in a secure location. Host a debate or two to enable the candidates to argue their positions.
You can opt to keep a running totals board or leave everyone guessing as to the results right to the very end. A concession stand can get you even more cash. Above all else, make sure the event is as fun as possible.
