On October 30th more than 700 students in grades K - 8 participated in a national student mock election. The objective of this school-wide election was to simulate a real voting experience for the students. The election was coordinated by eighth grade students on the Excellence Team under the guidance of David Southworth and student teacher Jim Whitcomb.

In preparation for the election, students in grades 3 - 8 were registered and given the "Freeman's Oath". They also were able to view a sample Shelburne ballot and to learn about how to vote and who was running for offices. Students in K - 2 grades were able to register to vote with modified forms and used a simplified ballot.

On election day, eighth graders conducted the election as they escorted students to the polls, checked them in, assisted them with voting, checked them out and tallied the voting results. The library was a busy voting hub as over 700 students went through the process.

Town Clerk Colleen Haag generously permitted us to borrow a real voting booth - a popular voting station for students. We also used one of the old ballot boxes which pre-dated Shelburne's electronic balloting. After counting over 700 ballots, which each contained 70 different items to tally, students gained a genuine appreciation for the technological marvel of electronic balloting!

SCS voting results were reported to Vermont election headquarters and then presented to CNN. Historically, there has been a very strong correlation between student voting in the mock election and adult voting on election day.

The students have now had the opportunity to experience the voting process and to express their voter preferences - on November 5th, adults will have theirs.

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Home Page maintained by Greg Thweatt
gthweatt@shelburne.k12.vt.us
Last updated: Nov 8, 1996