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Election is a humorous farce disguised as a high school student council election. It explores the motivations of and influences on a candidate. Tracy Flick, a preppy overachiever, is running unopposed for student council president. Mr. M, the faculty advisor, distains Tracy and has decided she needs an opponent. Mr. M talks Paul, the injured quarterback, into running - to go for the glory of leadership instead of the momentary glow of sports. Tammy, Paul's sister, decides to run for president after her girlfriend leaves her for Paul. Throughout the movie each character takes actions, fair or unfair, for personal gain. Mr. M throws the election to Paul as revenge against Tracy for having had an affair with his friend and fellow teacher who is fired. Tracy tears down the election posters out of frustration and blames someone else. Tammy falsely claims responsibility for ruining the posters so that she will be expelled and able to transfer to an all girl's school. Paul is the only candidates who wants whatever the outcome will be, praying to God for each person to do well regardless of who wins.

All three movies use humor to exaggerates the issue each is asking the movie viewer to consider: Wag the Dog uses movie production and media tricks to ask the question of what is real and what is fake; Bulworth takes a straight-laced Senator and turns him into a rapper to show the realities of campaign funding; and Election elevates a student council election to a matter of life or death. While these issues are presented as humor, each situation can be transferred to the realities of American politics. The movies each give the viewer permission to be cynical of the voting process. They each illustrate how elections are not what they appear to be; collectively showing that the news media, professional marketers, the television and movie industry, and a candidate's campaign team can easily turn truth into fiction and fiction into truth.

These movies ironically foretold the future. The 2000 Presidential election was decided not by the voters, not by the Electoral College but by the Supreme Court. Ballots in Florida were reviewed by hand, lawyers and academia were called in to review elections laws and processes, the media cried lack of fairness, and each and every voter had to question the value of their vote. The country as a whole needs to evaluate the influence of campaign financing, the lack of consistent voting methodology, and the use of television advertising on how the United States of America elects its leaders and establish their laws. The U.S.A. citizens need to question if the process is really fair, fully representative and produces the best leadership for their country.