The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

    Polls to close Tuesday for mock student election

    Upper school students have until Tuesday to vote in a nationwide mock election as one of two schools representing California. An online survey that polls students on their preferred candidate for the presidential election as well as their viewpoints on issues was emailed to all students last week.

    Students’ votes for president in the survey are part of a mock election held by Voting Opportunities for Teenagers in Every State, an organization overseen by teachers at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Mass. that polls one public and one private high school from each state.

    The mock election has correctly predicted the outcome of five of the six last presidential elections. Results are announced on Sunday, Nov. 4.

    The school has participated in the VOTES mock election since 2000 at the request of VOTES head Jim Shea, upper school history teacher Dave Waterhouse said.

    Waterhouse organized the mock election with the help of students in AP U.S. Government and Politics. 

    After the mock election winner is declared, VOTES encourages newspapers nationwide to publish the results, Waterhouse said.

    “In some ways the votes that kids made are more influential than adults in California. Since the results are being published, they could potentially influence someone else’s vote,” Waterhouse said.

    The school will likely hold the mock election online, Waterhouse said. The Middle School will not be taking part in the VOTES mock election, but will hold a mock debate and its own mock election Oct. 29, coordinated by history teacher George Gaskin, middle school History Department Head John Corsello said.

    Their mock election’s results will be announced during assembly Nov. 5, the day before the nationwide election.

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    The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School
    Polls to close Tuesday for mock student election