On Nov. 5, the high school social studies department held a mock election on the same day as the election.
“[Students] get a sample ballot that would be the ballot for eligible adults here in the local area, so that they can kind of get a feel for what [voting] is like,” Hailey Bachura, social studies teacher, said. “It’s just to give the kids an opportunity to practice their civic duty.”
The high school has been doing mock elections since the 2016 election, according to Bachura. This is important because it gives students exposure to what it’s like to vote and why it matters.
“So, across the board, it’s important for kids to understand their civic duty, and their civic duty is voting. You know, I’m a firm believer that you can’t complain if you don’t vote. Your vote is your voice, and whether or not the person or policy or whatever you choose is what comes out right, you still have the opportunity to [vote]. That is your power.”
Many students have strong opinions, and this gave them a chance to express those opinions.
“It shows that even people that don’t vote, can’t vote, have an opinion on something,” Ashlynn Smith, 11, said. “It also kind of reflects what your state says too. Which is either good or bad for you, depending on what you support.”
In the high school, Donald Trump got 61.9% of votes, Kamala Harris got 27.8%, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got 2.8%, Chase Oliver got 0.8%, and 6.8% of votes were write-ins.
