Delaware News

In Mock Election, Delaware Students Predict Wins for Clinton, Carney

Department of Elections - State Election Commissioner | Department of State | Date Posted: Friday, November 4, 2016



Dover –  With Election Day just a few days away, thousands of students across Delaware made their selections known today at the 2016 Student Mock Election Convention, tallying up victories for Democrats including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential contest and Congressman John Carney in the race for Delaware governor.

mockelection_logoAfter three days of polling in more than 180 schools, delegates from up and down the First State convened in Legislative Hall to count the votes and announce their winners. In addition to Clinton and Carney, the students also chose Democrats across Delaware’s other statewide races, tapping state Sen. Bethany Hall Long for lieutenant governor, Lisa Blunt Rochester for representative in Congress, and Trinidad Navarro for insurance commissioner. (Click here for full results of the election.) Since 2010, the Student Mock Election has correctly predicted the results of 13 out of 16 statewide races in Delaware, an 81-percent accuracy rate.

“Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and this program brings that fact to the forefront for our students at an early age, then reminds them of how important it is as they approach the age when they’ll be voting for real,” said Governor Jack Markell. “I want to thank all of our teachers for putting their time and effort into this, and especially the students from all across Delaware who cast their votes this week.”

Each election year, the Student Mock Election is conducted by teachers statewide in partnership with the Department of State, the Office of the State Elections Commissioner, the University of Delaware Democracy Project and the League of Women Voters. Coupled with lesson plans and classroom discussion about elections and the democratic process, fourth through 12th grade students were given access to a special online voting portal in their schools from Monday, Oct. 31 until the polls closed on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

“Being a good citizen means exercising your right to vote, but it also means doing your homework about the people serving in office and those who are seeking office,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “That’s the key component of the Mock Election program, not only preparing our students for the act of voting, but teaching them what it means to be voters.”

“Every election year I’m more impressed by the young people who participate in this program, and the level of awareness and intelligence they have when it comes to the election, the candidates and the issues,” said Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove. “If this is what the next generation of voters looks like, then our country and our state will be in good hands.”

Friday’s convention also featured awards for the schools with the highest rates of voter participation: Charter School of Wilmington, Newark Charter School and Campus Community Charter School; and the most spirited student delegation: Capital School District.

 

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In Mock Election, Delaware Students Predict Wins for Clinton, Carney

Department of Elections - State Election Commissioner | Department of State | Date Posted: Friday, November 4, 2016



Dover –  With Election Day just a few days away, thousands of students across Delaware made their selections known today at the 2016 Student Mock Election Convention, tallying up victories for Democrats including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential contest and Congressman John Carney in the race for Delaware governor.

mockelection_logoAfter three days of polling in more than 180 schools, delegates from up and down the First State convened in Legislative Hall to count the votes and announce their winners. In addition to Clinton and Carney, the students also chose Democrats across Delaware’s other statewide races, tapping state Sen. Bethany Hall Long for lieutenant governor, Lisa Blunt Rochester for representative in Congress, and Trinidad Navarro for insurance commissioner. (Click here for full results of the election.) Since 2010, the Student Mock Election has correctly predicted the results of 13 out of 16 statewide races in Delaware, an 81-percent accuracy rate.

“Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and this program brings that fact to the forefront for our students at an early age, then reminds them of how important it is as they approach the age when they’ll be voting for real,” said Governor Jack Markell. “I want to thank all of our teachers for putting their time and effort into this, and especially the students from all across Delaware who cast their votes this week.”

Each election year, the Student Mock Election is conducted by teachers statewide in partnership with the Department of State, the Office of the State Elections Commissioner, the University of Delaware Democracy Project and the League of Women Voters. Coupled with lesson plans and classroom discussion about elections and the democratic process, fourth through 12th grade students were given access to a special online voting portal in their schools from Monday, Oct. 31 until the polls closed on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

“Being a good citizen means exercising your right to vote, but it also means doing your homework about the people serving in office and those who are seeking office,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “That’s the key component of the Mock Election program, not only preparing our students for the act of voting, but teaching them what it means to be voters.”

“Every election year I’m more impressed by the young people who participate in this program, and the level of awareness and intelligence they have when it comes to the election, the candidates and the issues,” said Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove. “If this is what the next generation of voters looks like, then our country and our state will be in good hands.”

Friday’s convention also featured awards for the schools with the highest rates of voter participation: Charter School of Wilmington, Newark Charter School and Campus Community Charter School; and the most spirited student delegation: Capital School District.

 

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.