Election Apple Tree House

# No matter if you're young or old

# With good friends you'll never be alone

# Shining light on our joyful world

# Ain't nothing going to beat that place

# We call home

# First days, new days

# All the very best days

# New things to discover

# New people to meet

# Fun days always

# Playing with your friend days

# Life is for the living down at Apple Tree House. #

And then after lunch we had PE and played cricket.

That sounds wonderful.

I scored ten runs and three wickets.

Well done!

Kobi.

Kobi.

Is something the matter, Sam?

She's upset because she's going to miss art

-and she was working on her big butterfly painting.

-Miss art?

-But why?

-The school's going to be used as a poll nation

-and it's just not fair.

-Poll nation?

What's a poll nation?

Well, it must be very important

because school's going to be closed for a whole day.

We've got a letter about it.

Ah, I see.

What does it say?

Your school is going to be closed on Thursday.

It's going to be used as a polling station.

I'm sorry you're going to miss your art lesson, Sam,

but it is for a worthy cause.

-What's a polling station?

-A polling station is where people go

to exercise their right to vote during an election.

-An election?

-Yes, it's a way of choosing

who will be the leader of something,

like the city's mayor.

I remember the first time I exercised my right to vote.

I'll never forget.

I was so excited, queueing at the polling station

to choose who would be in charge of our town.

You have to exercise to vote?

Not quite, Sam.

By exercise, I mean I took part in it.

Did he become the mayor of your town?

Yes, he became a leader of our town for many years.

Hey! Hello, you three.

How was school?

We played cricket and I scored ten runs and it was very fun.

School is going to be closed for a whole day because of the election.

Oh, really?

Yes, and I think I want to be mayor

because I'm very good at being in charge.

Well, I think you'd make a great mayor, Sam.

-You may have to wait just a few more years.

-Wait? Why?

Well, unfortunately, you're a little young right now.

-No way.

-Listen, being mayor carries a lot of responsibility.

Well, at least we still get to vote.

Ah, not quite.

You're still too young to vote in this election

but I see no harm in you waiting till you're older.

But that's not fair.

We should have a say.

Well, you do have a say,

but not quite in the same way as grown-ups.

This is no fun. A big election and we can't be mayor or vote.

And we're missing art class.

I know, why don't we have our own Apple Tree House election

for our own Apple Tree House mayor?

Wow, a real election?

Well, not quite.

This election will be for fun!

So what do we need to do?

Well, first, you need to say

what it is that you would do if you were mayor.

Yes, and then speak to all the people in Apple Tree House

and try to convince them to vote for you.

You could make posters or badges or even write a song about it.

# All the Apple Tree children come this way

# Here is the first time you have an election day. #

That sounds like fun.

So we'd better get started.

Yes!

Hey, Mali, why don't you give me a hand

getting things organised for our very first

Apple Tree House election?

Absolutely.

# Whoa, let's make a plan

# Let's make a plan

# Do something for your neighbourhood

# Neighbourhood

# Oh, come together, each and every man... #

I can't believe Apple Tree House is going to have its own election.

And I'll be mayor of the whole estate.

And now they're finished, we need to put up these election posters.

# Let's make our home a better place, you know we should

# Let's take a vote

# Let's take a vote... #

-Do you need any help?

-No, thanks.

CHANTING: We want Sam! We want Sam! We want Sam!

CHEERING

Thank you all for coming tonight.

As you know, I'd like to be your new mayor.

And what will you do as our new mayor?

As mayor, I will make Apple Tree House the funnest place

you've ever lived. We will have garden parties and family fun days.

CHEERING

What about the swing in the playground?

It's been broken for a week.

As your mayor, I will fix it right away

and everyone can play in the park all day every day.

What about sweets? Can we have more sweets?

I'll also make sure everyone gets free sweets.

APPLAUSE

I have a question.

What will you do for the grown-ups of Apple Tree House?

Grown-ups can also enjoy the playground and free sweets too.

Great! Really good!

APPLAUSE

That was a great speech, Sam.

-Thanks, Mum.

-I can't wait to hear from the other candidate.

Other candidate?

Oh, candied dates, those are my favourite.

No, not candied dates.

A candidate. It means someone else who'd also like to be mayor.

Usually in an election,

there's more than one person that would like to be chosen.

Like a competition - who can get the most votes?

Would you like to be the other competitor, Mali?

No, sorry, I'm helping Kobi.

What about you, Bella?

I'm happy just voting.

-You?

-Oh, well...

Go on, then, Ameera, what do you think?

All right, I'm in.

# Let's take a vote, the people of Apple Tree want it

# Let's take a vote

# Let's take a vote, the people of Apple Tree want it

# Let's take a vote

# Let's take a vote, the people of Apple Tree want it

# Whoa-oh, whoa-oh... #

I think this is a wonderful idea.

Me too. I don't know why we hadn't thought of it.

But are you sure you want to run against Sam?

She's one of the most popular residents here at Apple Tree House.

That is a good point, but we have great posters and home-made cakes.

# Yeah, yeah

# Let's make them count

# Yeah, yeah

# We need that count

# Yeah, yeah

# Let's make them count

# Yeah, yeah

# Let's make them count. #

Here's a leaflet - Ameera for mayor.

Hi, Ameera.

Hello, girls.

Nice cakes.

Um, thanks.

So, what would you do if you became mayor?

Er, well, I would...

I'd have more events to get the residents together,

perhaps even start a creche.

But I also really agree with some of your ideas.

I mean, free sweets for everyone - that is brilliant.

And that swing has been broken for far too long.

OK, good luck.

Would you like a cake, girls?

So, how's my little would-be mayor, then, eh?

Getting excited?

I don't know, Dad.

Now that Ameera's also running, I may not win.

Hmm...I see.

Well, becoming a leader isn't just about winning.

It's about knowing what's best for the people you want to help.

And also it's about making the right decisions.

How do you know what's best?

Well, that's a million pound question.

And welcome to our Apple Tree House mayor contestant.

For the million pound question, tell us, Sam,

what does becoming mayor mean to you?

Um, it means everything.

I really want to be mayor.

And what would it mean to the people of Apple Tree House?

Um...

This is hard.

Well, do you want to know what I think?

What?

I think the best mayor for Apple Tree House will win.

Yeah, and no matter what happens, you've done your best.

Everyone can see that.

And do you know what?

Whatever happens...

..you'll always be the mayor at Kobi's house.

Oh.

Oh! Bye then.

So now that everyone's voted, what do we do?

First, we have to sort them into piles.

One pile for Sam and another pile for Ameera.

And then we count them and we see who's got the most votes.

-47.

-47.

-48.

-48.

-49.

-49.

50. 51.

50.

That's 50 votes for Sam.

I got 51 for my mum.

And we can announce the new mayor.

APPLAUSE

Oh, hold it.

We've got one more.

Well, this is interesting.

All right, ladies and gentlemen,

we have now counted all the votes and it seems...

-..we have a draw!

-CHEERING

What's a draw?

It means that we got the exact same number of votes.

The residents liked us both so much, they couldn't decide.

Now, because all the people of Apple Tree House have spoken,

it seems we're going to have two mayors.

Yes, this is brilliant.

Oh, I'm so pleased.

Just think of all the great things we can do

for Apple Tree House together.

And we'll do what's best for the community.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Are you saying the swing will be ready for tomorrow?

Yes, my dad said he'll repair it this afternoon.

Can you believe all these people came out

just to exercise their vote?

I can, and I can't wait until I can vote in the big election.

Yeah!

I think it's cool that you and my mum get to be mayors together.

Me too. You're a good friend, Mali.

And you're a great friend, Mayor Sam.