Never too young too vote

By Meghan McCormick

November 05, 2008 01:19 am

— The voting line stretched from the far northeast classroom all the way down the hall to the office inside Wilson Elementary Tuesday morning.
There were no adults lined up to cast their votes, but instead plenty of children ready to voice their opinions in the school's mock presidential election.
Third grade teacher Ann Worden said students in grades pre-k through fifth grade voted in the election.
"All the teachers in the school have been talking about the election and citizenship," she said.
Worden said she believed a mock election would best give students an insight into how a leader is elected in a democracy. A volunteer from the Cleveland County Election Board visited the school last month and spoke with students about how the election system works.
"They've been learning about the process," she said.
Students received an "I voted" sticker as they turned in their ballots.
Third-graders Drannon Lenox and Gabriella Harrell showed off their stickers after turning in ballots.
Lenox said he researched both candidates. He made his decision after watching television and listening to his parents.
"I think he would be a safer president," Lenox said about his choice. "He wouldn't raise taxes."
Lenox also liked volunteering for the mock election board.
"It's kinda fun working with my buddy Christian," he said.
Harrell said this was her first time ever to vote. She selected a candidate who she believed would make a better president.
"I just voted for him because of my parents," she said.
Worden said once the votes were tallied, the results were in. Barack Obama won 133 votes, and John McCain received 85 votes.
Students at Dimensions Academy also held a mock election. Dimensions teacher Dana Shirk said all programs that fall under alternative education were invited to vote.
Shirk said the election ties into the eighth grade American history curriculum.
"It gives them an idea of what it's like to vote," she said. "They have done an awesome job."
Students arrived in the library with their voter registration cards.
Eighth-grader Desaree Brown said she based her vote on the candidate's agenda.
"He's going to try and stop the war," she said. "He's a family person."
Meghan McCormick 366-3539 mmccormick@normantranscript.com