Mock Presidential Election: Who Did Haine Middle School Students Vote For?

Republican Mitt Romney has been declared the next President of the United States—at least he has at Haine Middle School.

On Tuesday, sixth-grade students conducted a mock election. Using their own version of the Electoral College System, which they learned about in class leading up to Election Day, they chose Romney as the nation’s leader.

In real life Nov. 6, President Barack Obama defeated Romney.

But sixth-graders didn’t know that early Tuesday as they threw their support behind either the Democratic or Republican contender.

Based on population, each of the 14 sixth-grade classrooms were given a “state” and a certain number of electoral votes after students voted in the popular election. On stage during an assembly Tuesday, those electors were represented by sixth-graders wearing red for Romney and blue for Obama.

According to results from the popular vote, Romney defeated Obama 207-159. In the electoral vote, Romney had 64 votes to Obama’s 15.

Jeremiah Friday, who helped organize the mock elections with fellow social studies teachers Julie Mann, Ali Wallace, Tim Cammisa, and Nick DeSanzo, said the purpose of Tuesday’s event was to give students a better understanding of the how the electoral college system works.

“I think they really liked it,” he said.  

Ryan Moffett, 11, who said he voted for Romney, agreed he enjoyed participating in the activity.

“I like we could actually vote because we’re not old enough yet,” he said.

Already passionate about politics at age 12, Casey Becker rattled off a list of reasons why he voted for Romney in Tuesday’s mock election, including lowering taxes and increasing military spending.

“They made it seem very realistic,” he said of Tuesday’s mock election. “They didn’t keep anything from us.”

What do you think of the students’ choice in the mock election? And how well do you know the Electoral College System? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.