Casting votes in school hallway
Students learn about the midterms during mock election
Photo by Deb Gau Isabella Gossen helped hand out stickers to Marshall High School students who participated in a mock election on Tuesday. Organizers said the event helps teach students about what filling out a Minnesota ballot is like.
Photo by Deb Gau Karis Bell showed off her sticker after turning in her mock ballot at Marshall High School on Tuesday.
Photo by Deb Gau Isabella Gossen helped hand out stickers to Marshall High School students who participated in a mock election on Tuesday. Organizers said the event helps teach students about what filling out a Minnesota ballot is like.
Photo by Deb Gau Karis Bell showed off her sticker after turning in her mock ballot at Marshall High School on Tuesday.
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MARSHALL -- There was some extra bustle in the hallways during lunch period at Marshall High School on Tuesday as students lined up to cast ballots in a mock election.
"It's been busy," said MHS student Paige McLain, who was helping check students in to participate in the event. Two tables near the cafeteria were lined with cardboard cubicles to give voters privacy as they filled out mock ballots.
Organizers said that while the mock election opened before class on Tuesday, most students and teachers were taking part during lunch.
"I'm really interested to see the voter turnout by grade," McLain said.
McLain and other student volunteers said the event was a chance for young people to learn about participating in local elections.
"It helps people learn what's in the midterms," said MHS student volunteer Cora Maxwell.
Many students might not be as aware of midterm elections, as opposed to high-profile elections like the U.S. presidential race, she said.
For students who are 18, the mock election is also an opportunity to practice filling out a ballot before going out to vote for real, organizers said.
The MHS Honor Society has held mock elections going back to about 2010, said MHS Honor Society adviser Rick Purrington. Over the past few years, MHS has been one of the Minnesota schools participating in the Students Voting Statewide mock election, which is organized by the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office. The program helps provide schools with supplies like ballots that look similar to the real ones used in Minnesota elections, but can't be put into a vote tabulating machine.
Maxwell said MHS student organizers put out fliers and videos to help raise awareness of Tuesday's mock election, and to teach students about the voting process. MHS students all got a short tutorial about the mock election beforehand.
Students filled out the mock ballots and put them into ballot boxes to be counted at the end of the day. They also received "I've Voted" stickers from organizers. Purrington said the mock election stickers provided by the Students Voting Statewide program used slightly different wording, to distinguish them from the "I Voted" stickers handed out at real polling places.
Students volunteering at the mock election said the event was an especially good idea for MHS students who may be voting for the first time.
"I think it's really beneficial for older students to practice," McLain said.
Maxwell said she was voting for the first time this year and taking part in the mock election was helpful for her, too.