From now until general election day, Nov. 2, the Washington Secretary of State’s Office will be hosting a non-partisan mock election for all public school students and teachers to participate in to learn more about the democratic process.
According to a news release from the office, students will have the opportunity to participate in the mock election and vote on actual races and measures, including fictional issues “pertinent to their daily lives.”
The Secretary of State manages elections throughout Washington state.
“The Student Mock Election is a fun and engaging way for students to learn about elections and become more informed and involved citizens,” said Lori Augino, the director of elections, in a statement from the Secretary of State’s Office. “Initiatives like the Student Mock Election and the Future Voter program help empower young people to make civic engagement a lifelong habit.”
Since 2004, more than 380,000 students have voted and participated in the annual mock election. And yes — students also can receive those flashy “I Voted” stickers.
While participation in the election is free, the mock election is held on a classroom by classroom basis.
Teachers can visit https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/mock/about-student-mock-election.aspx to learn about how they can get their classrooms involved in the mock election.
A toolkit for teachers interested in teaching the curriculum can be found online at https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/mock/teacher-resources.aspx.
Teachers are encouraged to compare their classroom results with those posted after the Nov. 2 election.
