Dover, DE – Election Day is still a few days away, but Delaware students tallied their votes for statewide offices today in Dover at the 2018 Student Mock Election Convention. In what’s become a bellwether for elections in Delaware, students picked incumbents Sen. Tom Carper and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester to continue representing the First State in Washington.
With nearly 30,000 votes cast by students across 142 Delaware schools, delegates convened in Legislative Hall to announce their winners. Down ballot, victories went to Colleen Davis for state treasurer, Kathleen McGuiness for auditor of accounts and Kathleen Jennings for attorney general. (Full Student Mock Election Results here.)
Since 2010, the Student Mock Election has correctly predicted the results of 18 out of 21 statewide races in Delaware, an 86-percent accuracy rate.
“There’s no more fundamental duty in our democracy than the casting of your vote, and I’m proud to know that thousands of Delaware students are learning from an early age just how important that responsibility is,” said Gov. John Carney. “I want to thank the teachers who make this program a success, and all the students who made their voices heard this week.”
Each election year, the Student Mock Election is conducted by teachers statewide in partnership with the Office of the State Elections Commissioner, the Delaware Department of State, 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 have access to a special online voting portal in their schools administered by state elections officials and the Department of Technology and Information.
“Being informed about the candidates and the issues at stake is just as important as casting that ballot on Election Day, and every election year I’m impressed by the level of engagement our students bring to this program,” said Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove. “These students are thoughtful, educated, respectful and opinionated – just what Delaware should want in its future generations of voters.”
“The Student Mock Election is one of my favorite events of the election season, since the results historically have been a pretty good predictor of the real outcomes on Election Day,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “To all the students who participated, hold on to that enthusiasm after you turn 18 and don’t let an election go by without fulfilling your civic duty.”
Friday’s convention also featured awards for the schools with the highest rates of voter participation: Newark Charter School, Charter School of Wilmington, and Wilmington Christian School; and the most spirited student delegation: Odyssey Charter School.