And a little child shall lead them …
By Deb Twyman
As a high school government teacher and Department Chair, I’ve run more than my fair share of school wide elections in presidential election years. One thing was always consistent – however the kids voted, they appeared to be following their parents example. Granted, the percentages were not always the same, but the winner of the student election inevitably mirrored the actual election results.
I’m getting old and I wanted to make certain that my memory wasn’t playing tricks on me so I went back and looked it up. The gold standard for student elections has always been the venerable Scholastic Student Mock Election. Scholastic’s first election was held back in 1940, and since then student voters have only picked a different candidate from the one who won the general election twice: in 1948 and 1960. As polling goes, this is a pretty darned good track record.
That’s why these most recent results bode well for Clinton. In Scholastic’s student election, which included 153,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Clinton won that vote, coming in with 52% of the vote to Trump’s 35%.
The EveryKidVotes! mock election, which includes more than 700,000 students across the US and runs through November 4th is showing, as of this writing, Hillary winning with 68% of the votes and Trump at 31%.
The latest results released today from Newsela also showed similar results. In this case, more than 380,000 students in grades 2 through 12 voted overwhelmingly to elect Hillary Clinton. When the votes were counted, Clinton took 57% to Donald Trump’s 32%. Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson split the remainder.
Kids, particularly little kids tend to vote the way their parents do, and if that holds true in this election it bodes well for Hillary.
Great column, Deb! And encouraging!
1Deb, I’d like to ask your opinion about something.
There’s a ballot measure this year to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote on local ballots only – not to elect officials, just on the (seemingly endless) referenda that come up every two years, and only the local ones of those.
So it’s pretty limited, and I’m leaning toward voting for it. The earlier people take ownership of the voting process, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
The “opposed” argument centers around an assumption that kids are more likely to be profligate with public funds, and more easily manipulated.
What do you think? All opinions welcome.
2@Annabelle Lee
I guess I represent the Debbie Downer viewpoint.
The act of voting is the result of the voter’s careful consideration of the of the pros and cons of a referendum or of a candidate. I doubt the ability of most voters over the age of 18 to rise to that level, let alone a 16 or 17 year old. Youth that age may be more susceptible to outside influences, in particular their parents views.
Finally, the “right to vote” is balanced by the “duty” to do ther things, including vote. But also, some states like Texas use voter rolls for other more sinister and nefarious purposes, like jury selection. And while the Jury Manager for your County may assure defendants that only adults will be called for duty on their case, what if they mistakenly call a 16 year old to voir dire for a case with media significance?
So no, to me 16 and 17 year olds should be allowed to be whatever kind of 16 and 17 year olds they are. Plenty of time to vote when they turn 18.
3A few decades ago, I was the election judge for the most populous precinct in Tarrant County Texas. We held elections in an elementary school, and I could tell who, at the top of the ballot, was going to carry the precinct by listening to the kid’s comments. The would parrot what they were hearing at home.
4My daughter attended a grammar school where all the families had liberal to very-liberal leanings. Their grade wanted to hold a mock presidential election, but no kid wanted to be the GOP candidate.
At last, my daughter agreed to be the Republican candidate, and that afternoon I drove her over to GOP headquarters so we could pick up some leaflets, etc. for her talking points.
For years afterwards I received requests for funds from the local Republican Party.
5@Deb
I do find it encouraging that since 1940 this kid’s vote has pretty accurately predicted the POTUS election outcome. That 1948 was an exception does not surprise me, although I was not alive to vote that election. The 1960 election does surprise, my recollection was that election night was tense and exciting but I never would have thought kids would go Nixon. Kennedy won handily in my school’s mock election.
OTOH, I’m less comfortable with the results being a predictor of future events. To my mind, elections are a snapshot of election day. The skyrocketing candidate of 1948 holds no prediction for 1952, seems to me.
6Preschool teacher where I work says she has done election voting every year, but is scared to do it this year…..because she likes all the parents……but that would change if kids voted for…..secret ballots mean nothing to a 4 year old.
7Thank you for that, Deb. Dang… this Salon has some really interesting people in it.
I hear the Drumpf has booked a space for his “victory” party. It’s at the Hilton about a block west of T-Tower. They say it’s a “ballroom”. They say Drumpf is “superstitious” and doesn’t want to “jinx” his “win” with a big celebration. Yeah… okay… whatever.
Some people, the best people, are saying it’s at the Hilton because he didn’t pass the credit check at a Trump hotel. (Deliciously snarky.)
8From your lips to God’s ear, Deb.
9Deb, from your lips to God’s ears!
10Annabell Lee – Letting 16 & 17 year olds vote would make the lives of government teachers much easier. It is difficult to teach kids about their role as a citizen when they can’t participate. But that’s about teaching not democracy.
This may sound odd but I actually have a lot of faith in young people, it has been my experience that when they are engaged, educated and encouraged to participate they actually do a mighty fine job. Teachers, parents and communities would need to do a good job of explaining things but yes if we made it a priority I think they’d do a good job.
Micr has a point, but it does raise the question how would this make kids different from adults? The rise of Trump tells me that we have serious adult education issues. It would be wonderful if people actually took the time to research candidates and issues before they voted. Many adults don’t, I rather imagine kids may follow suit.
Political scientists talk a lot about 3’s, they say that the pattern you establish in your first three elections is generally the one you follow for the rest of your life. So if kids are encouraged by their teachers, parents, peers & the community to vote, even in the non Presidential years, and to be informed before they vote maybe it will stick. If that was the case it would be beneficial to democracy.
No easy answers, but there never are for important issues, but it still might be worth a try. If your community does do this I’d be interested to hear how things turn out!
11JAK – Deliciously snarky and the perfect accompaniment to my morning coffee. I laughed so hard I displaced the cat!
12From Twitter:
Dan Zak Verified account
@MrDanZak
Trump just now in Jacksonville: “I’m honored to have the greatest temperament that anyone’s ever had.”
And the biggest swelled head since Napoleon.
Any colt with his temperament would’ve been gelded early on; any bull with his temperament would be in someone’s freezer.
13That so many young people are voting D seems like a good sign for the future, touch wood.
14Thank you to all the teachers and parents who encourage early participation in the election process. Outside of our Democratic caucus a gentleman was passing out campaign buttons and bottles of water with help from his young son. In AZ a gentlemen not eligible to vote was participating with his daughter in a door to door GOTV effort encouraging people with mail-in ballots to take those ballots to the mail or a drop box. Hope one of Hilz first efforts is immigration reform. Educated, hard working and enthusiastic people interested in the process deserve a chance to become citizens.
Reports from too many schools this year show that young people have been deprived by Donnie of the opportunity to have mock elections. Parents and teachers feared what Donnie has brought to this election; the bullying, the buffoonery, racism, misogyny, religious bigotry and tax avoidance. Sometimes a bad example is a good teaching device, but Donnie is leaping steps beyond being the counter example of good citizenship.
Oh, and Sen Ayotte. Really. You wouldn’t leave your daughter in a room with Donnie, but you’ll vote for him. Please share what explanation your gave your daughter as to the message you are sending with that behavior.
15As another former government teacher I tend to agree with Deb. I think engagement is the key. I’m often surprised at what our students come up with and the spectre of having them actually registered to vote makes that engagement more likely.
16Thanks for this. I made a screen shot to hang onto and read every night just before bedtime. Maybe I’ll sleep better than I’ve been doing lately.
17I grew up in a Republican community in California, from a mixed marriage- Mom was a Grange Democrat and Dad was a Pragmatic Moderate Republican. When my fifth grade class voted in 1968 we had 21 for Nixon, 5 for Humphrey and one for Wallace. Harry Wallace voted George Wallace just because he might be family. Harry was like that.
18Going to High School with the Congressman’s daughter turned me into a yellow dog Democrat, such a bunch of spoiled selfish brats you never did see.
I remember one of those school elections. I voted JFK. He won for my class. My parents were appalled.
19PS. I am now 65. I have never voted GOP for a presidential election.
20Hey Primo,
How about providing a pronunciation guide for Encarnación!
Most of us can handle the Primo.
And keep on making the outstanding comments!
21Captain Dan: Try this: en – car – nah – see – uhn. Now say it fast. There ya go!
22Thanks, teacher.
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