Schools

Ankeny Students Practice Voting in Mock Presidential Election

Thanks to a grant received by the Polk County Election Office, Ankeny High School students voted this week on everything from their next president to whether marijuana should be legalized in the state of Iowa.

It was almost lunchtime at  and a large group of students gathered in the commons eagerly waiting their turn.

But the students weren’t waiting for chicken nuggets or pizza. They were waiting to cast their ballots in the next presidential election.

Ankeny was among several Polk County high schools that held a mock election for students Thursday. Students could vote for their Republican or Democratic candidate of choice, as well as weigh in on five different ballot measures.

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Voting continues today in the two-day mock election.

Nickie Keuck, a senior at Ankeny High School, said it’s important for students to be a part of the voting process.

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“Every vote matters,” she said after submitting her ballot. “If we learn how this works now, we’ll have a better idea of what to expect and how to vote when we’re adults.”

The mock election formed when the Polk County Election Office contacted the high school, said Steve Chasse, government and social studies instructor at the high school.

“They received a federal grant to promote elections at the high school level,” Chasse said. “These students will be registering to vote in the next couple years, so we really thought it would be beneficial for them to do this.”

Leading up to the mock election, Chasse said the high school government classes made sure to include lessons about presidential politics, the Iowa Caucus and voting.

“We talk about debates, polls, who’s running for president, who’s doing well, who’s not doing well,” Chasse said.

Students also get credit for attending political functions. Chasse said a group of about 20 Ankeny students volunteered at the Iowa GOP Ronald Reagan Dinner last month. 

“It was an amazing experience for them,” Chasse said. “Michele Bachmann even gave them a shout-out in her speech.”

In the days leading up to the mock election, the Polk County Election Office traveled to each participating school, dropping off ballots and other voting equipment.

This is the first time in Chasse’s three years with the district that the high school has done a mock election of this caliber.

Each student who votes receives a ballot. On the ballots, students can cast one vote for their favorite Republican candidate. The ballot also has current president Barack Obama going head to head with each GOP candidate. 

“This way the results show Obama may beat Ron Paul but loses to Mitt Romney,” Chasse said. 

Student also could vote for or against five ballot measures, which included:

  • Shall students be given the opportunity to contribute to community service or participate in non-paid internships in return for class credit?
  • Shall the State of Iowa legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational uses? The drug will be registered and taxed.
  • Shall the State of Iowa ban the use of cell phones while driving?
  • Shall the city of Ankeny invest the necessary funds to become a wireless community?
  • Shall the Ankeny Community School District invest the necessary funds to become a one-to-one laptop district in grades 6-12?

Students were allowed to vote during their free periods throughout the day. In addition to the juniors and seniors at Ankeny High School, sophomores at the Southview campus also participated.

Chasse said no student is forced to vote. “That’s not the point of it,” he said.

Chasse said the results of the mock election should be available by Monday.

More than 100 students volunteered to be “poll workers” during the mock election, Chasse said.

Kayla Peterson was among those who volunteered. She was in charge of encouraging her fellow students to vote, handing out ballots and helping students register and submit their ballots.

Peterson, a senior, said she chose to volunteer. “I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” she said.

Throughout the activity, Peterson said she learned a lot about the political process.

“It makes me want to volunteer more in the future,” she said. “It’s important for our points of view to be heard if we want to make a change.”

Keuck was among the students assisted by Peterson at the polls. Keuck said she saw the voting booths when she came to school and decided to give it a try.

“It’s a great way to get involved and voice our opinion,” she said.  

Chasse said the main goal of the mock election is to promote participation among students.

“This is really the first step in becoming involved,” he said. “We’re in such a wonderful, unique place with the caucus and this is a great way to kick start the whole process for these kids.”


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