Halloween was fast approaching, and everyone knew this year was going to be something special. The year was 2024, an election year, which meant that there was no better time to create a DIY costume inspired by the madness of political campaigns. And for anyone wanting to make a lasting impression, this guide was all they needed.
Chapter 1: Choose Your Character—Who Are You Going to Be?
Deciding who or what to be for Halloween was no easy task, especially in a politically charged year like 2024. Some opted to represent well-known political figures like Joe Biden, with his iconic aviators, or Donald Trump, with a red cap and signature hand gestures. Others decided to be more abstract, transforming themselves into a walking campaign theme, like "Vote or Die" or a literal ballot box. The possibilities were endless.
A young DIY enthusiast, Mia, decided she’d be a generic politician—a clever mix of all the campaign clichés rolled into one. She wore a suit a little too big, like a kid trying on their dad’s work clothes, and added campaign buttons, a loud tie, and a smile that said, “I promise you everything, even though I control nothing.” Mia looked in the mirror and declared, "I’m ready to make promises I can't keep—let's go get some candy!"
Chapter 2: Gather Your Materials—Time to Get Crafty
Mia raided her mom’s closet for an old blazer, grabbed her dad’s favorite tie, and found a white shirt that had seen better days. She then went to the craft store to pick up some essentials: cardboard, markers, face paint, and safety pins. Her friend Jake was going for a humorous twist—he wanted to be a "Ballot Box."
Jake’s costume was constructed from an old moving box, painted with red, white, and blue stripes. He cut a hole in the top, labeled it “Insert Vote Here,” and attached some fake ballots on strings so they could sway back and forth as he walked. He even added a sign that read, “This Ballot Box Accepts Candy Too.” It was clear that Jake was going to clean up on Halloween night.
Chapter 3: Create Campaign Paraphernalia—It's All About the Details
No political costume was complete without campaign paraphernalia. Mia and Jake spent the afternoon making campaign buttons from cardboard. Mia’s button read, “Vote for More Candy!” while Jake’s read, “No Candy Left Behind!” They also made tiny campaign signs with slogans like, “In Candy We Trust” and “Make Trick-or-Treating Great Again.” They attached the buttons to their costumes with safety pins and carried the signs to wave around. The craftsmanship? Questionable. The enthusiasm? Unmatched.
They even created a fake polling clipboard for Mia. On it, she had a list of neighborhood houses and a tally of what each gave out last year. “I’m not just trick-or-treating,” she said proudly, “I’m gathering data for the future of candy distribution!” Jake nodded in agreement. “Knowledge is power,” he said, tapping his oversized ballot box.
Chapter 4: Dress the Part—Transforming into Campaign Legends
It was time to put it all together. Mia slipped into her oversized blazer and tied the knot on her dad's tie—crooked, but charmingly so. She put on her campaign buttons, grabbed her clipboard, and practiced her politician wave. Meanwhile, Jake wriggled his way into his ballot box. The cardboard creaked, but after some effort, he stood proudly in his box with a big smile plastered on his face.
“Wait!” Mia said, rushing to the makeup kit. She quickly drew some exaggerated eyebrows on herself, making her look both surprised and concerned at the same time. Jake added a bit of blush to his cheeks to give himself the look of a ballot box that had seen too many voters. “Perfect,” they both said in unison.
Chapter 5: Adding the Fun Elements—The Punchline to the Campaign
Mia and Jake weren’t the only ones getting into the election spirit. Their friends, Kelly and Sam, decided to join them for a group costume. Kelly dressed as the "Devil’s Advocate"—literally wearing devil horns, a red cape, and carrying a briefcase labeled "Arguments Nobody Wants." Sam went as a "Debate Moderator," donning a sharp suit, carrying a notepad, and keeping a whistle around his neck to call for "order" if the campaign trail got out of hand.
As a group, they looked ready to take on the election-themed Halloween like no one else. Mia's generic politician made grand promises of chocolate bars at every door, while Jake’s ballot box collected candy in the name of democracy. Kelly, the Devil’s Advocate, argued against everything, while Sam tried to keep everyone from getting too carried away. It was a spectacle.
“Why should we give you candy?” a neighbor asked, playing along.
“Well, as your future candy representative,” Mia began, “I promise to redistribute any unwanted licorice to Jake here, who is more than happy to take it off your hands!” Jake nodded enthusiastically, the ballot box bouncing with him.
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Chapter 6: The Final Touches—A Last-Minute Dash of Humor
Before heading out, the group added some finishing touches. Jake decided his ballot box needed an earpiece, just like a real voting machine. He clipped an old pair of headphones to the side of the box and pretended to take “important ballot-related calls.” Mia practiced her politician smile in the mirror—it was equal parts reassuring and unsettling.
Kelly handed out fake ballots to people they met along the way, each one filled with absurd options like, “Ban Bedtime” and “Make Recess a National Holiday.” Sam, as the moderator, used his whistle every time someone took too long at a door. “Let’s keep this campaign moving, people! We’ve got a lot of candy to collect, and the polls close at 9!”
They even made sure to stop by the busiest house on the block—the one that always handed out full-sized candy bars. Mia stood at the front, giving an impassioned speech about the importance of supporting local trick-or-treat initiatives, while Jake held his ballot box open, waiting for the sweet, sweet “votes” to roll in.
Chapter 7: A Halloween to Remember
By the end of the night, Mia, Jake, Kelly, and Sam had not only gathered enough candy to last until Christmas but had also made memories that would be talked about for years. They had dressed up not just as characters, but as the embodiment of political absurdity in 2024. They laughed until their sides hurt, debated whose costume was the most ridiculous, and agreed that, next year, they’d go even bigger.
As they walked back home, Mia raised her clipboard and declared, “In the spirit of Halloween democracy, I declare this campaign a success!” Jake held his ballot box high, Kelly twirled her devil’s cape, and Sam blew his whistle one last time.
It was a night of humor, camaraderie, and just the right amount of political satire—proving that even in times of elections and debates, there’s always room for fun, creativity, and a whole lot of candy.
“Until next election year!” they all shouted, disappearing into the night—four kids, filled with sugar and laughter, already planning their next great Halloween adventure.
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Writer's Bio: Driven by a fascination with how young people learn, grow, and connect, Laura N. Larsson has spent years researching the role of play and social media in child and adolescent development. Since 2012, she has combined her ecommerce background with in-depth interviews of children and teenagers, producing insightful articles that explore the evolving interplay between play, communication, and online interaction. 
