Hillary beats Trump! — in MJHS in Mock Election

Hillary beats Trump! — in MJHS in Mock Election

Students get civics lesson with voting exercise

Marion School District No doubt the voting public is getting a lot tired of 2016 presidential race and teachers say they are finding it difficult to discuss the adultthemed and contemptuous election with their classes, students at Marion Junior High School had an opportunity to experience the electoral process firsthand.

Cynthia Rorie, with the County Extension Service 4H, and Civics teachers at MJHS began preparing for the mock election during the summer that had students going to the “polls” last week. And it wasn’t simply putting up some voting booths and having the youngsters mark a real election ballot, student “candidate” held debates and campaigned, while poll workers were trained in real election procedures and placement of signage. Like a real election, students had to show valid identification before they could cast the ballot.

If the results are an indication of the Nov. 8 presidential election, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will become the country’s first female president. Her MJHS margin of victory was only five votes over Republican Donald Trump, 255-250. Green Party candidate Gary Johnson was a distant third with 21 votes. Independent candidate Lynn Kahn and Better for America candidate Evan McMullin tied with four votes each. Another Independent candidate, Jim Hedges garnered three votes. Green Party nominee Jill Stein and Constitution party candidate Darrell Castle receive two votes and one vote, respectively.

The President was not the only political office seeker MJHS students had an opportunity to vote into or out of office.

In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Senator John Boozman won re-election over Democrat Conner Eldridge and Libertarian Frank Gilbert. Students cast 244 votes for Boozman, 189 for Eldridge and 78 for Gilbert.

In the race for Arkansas District 1 U.S. Representative, incumbent Republican Rick Crawford handily defeated Libertarian Mark West by at 122-vote margin, 360 to 238.

By Mike Douglas