Oregon students back Obama in mock election
The Oregon Student Mock Election, brought to the state by the League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund, tallied the results from elections held in schools around the state on Thursday — and President Obama won overwhelming support for re-election.
More than 49,000 Oregon students participated in classroom exercises, voting, or both.
Student voters chose Barack Obama for President by a wide margin (7,182 votes to 3,675 for Mitt Romney) and overwhelmingly supported Ballot Measure 85, which would redirect corporate kicker funds to schools.
Students chose the economy as their top national priority and education as their second priority.
Students also voted on US Representative, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Judge, state ballot measures, and national issues including energy and the environment, education, the national debt, and health care.
In U.S. House District 2, incumbent Greg Walden defeated challenger Joyce Segers 631-409.
Measure 80, for marijuana legalization, won student support, 3,839 yes votes to 3,487 no.
Some schools will be voting next week.
The Oregon Student Mock Election is a part of the nation’s largest voter education project, the My Voice National Student Mock Election. The national organization will announce nation-wide student mock election results the week of November 5, 2012.
Results were originally scheduled to be announced November 2, but have been delayed in order to give schools affected by post-tropical storm Sandy time to adapt to challenges.
This year’s vote is historic in that it coincides with the 100-year anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in Oregon. Lesson plans that teachers have used to prepare their students include a unit and presentation on suffrage.
The program is cosponsored and supported by the Governor’s office, the Secretary of State, the Department of Education, the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, the Oregon PTA, the Oregon School Boards Association, the Oregon Council for the Social Studies, and Oregon Association of Student Councils.
The League of Women Voters of OregonEducation Fundworks to encourage active and informed participation in government and to increase understanding of major policy issues. The Education Fund seeks to empower citizens to understand governmental issues and to participate in the political process. We seek to provide balanced, accurate, nonpartisan information to all Oregonians.
