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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A Canfield Village Middle School student filled out her presidential ballot in a voting booth during the school’s mock presidential election Oct. 28.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Two Canfield Village Middle School students were prepared to vote, with ballots in hand, during the school’s mock presidential election Oct. 28.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield Village Middle School teacher Jason Jugenheimer helped students feed their completed ballots into an electronic voting machine during the school’s mock presidential election Oct. 28.
BY ABBY SLANKER
Canfield Village Middle School partnered with the Mahoning County Board of Elections to have a mock presidential election on Oct. 28.
During the election, students in grades five through eight had the opportunity to cast their ballot for Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump and running mate Mike Pence; Democratic nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine; Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and running mate William Weld or Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and running mate Ajamu Baraka.
An actual voting precinct was set up in a classroom where students had to sign in, fill out their ballot in a voting booth and then feed the ballot into an electronic voting machine. The eight voting booths and two electronic voting machines were provided by the Mahoning County Board of Elections to show the students the actual process, as well as determine the winner.
CVMS Social Studies teachers Mike Kerensky and Jason Jugenheimer worked with the Board of Elections to organize the election.
“The staff at the Board of Elections are true public servants. They went above and beyond here today. They brought their own ballots and are having the kids sign in just like a real precinct. They are giving the kids the full voting experience. I especially want to thank Director Joyce Kale-Pesta, who set the whole thing up. I would also like to thank Naseeb Kaleel of the Board of Elections, who is actually a former student of mine, for helping us out today, too,” Kerensky said.
Kerensky said he wanted his students to choose their candidate on the issues, not just what they see on television.
“I went to the candidates’ websites and printed off their views on the issues. Then I deleted the candidates’ names and had the students look at the issues and highlight what is important to them. I wanted the students to see the candidates’ views on the issues instead of just looking at the partisan candidates and wanted them to focus on what they believe instead of what they see on television. I wanted the students to look at why they would vote for one candidate or another,” Kerensky said.
After the students voted, they received a pencil and voting sticker, courtesy of the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
The results of the election were expected to be announced at the end of the school day.