Students cast their vote

Erin Scott, Leader Staff

Students at the Charlo Middle and High School voted in a mock election Tuesday morning.

Keith Grebetz, middle school writing and reading teacher and high school speech and drama teacher, organized the event closely with PTA member Kasey Savage. The planning process began two weeks ago.

Grebetz has been with the school four years, and organized a mock election for the Ronan Middle School four years ago when he worked there - which he said was a close race.

"The newspapers wanted to know who won," he said, "but it was too close to call." He added that there were 26 absentee ballots turned in and a high voter turn out. Kerry ultimately won the Ronan school mock election by 12 votes.

About 99 percent of Charlo's sixth through twelfth graders cast their vote Tuesday. They voted for president and vice president, state senators, governor and lieutenant governor, and house representative. On the back of the ballot, mock issues were presented. One such issue was worded: "If miracles could happen, which one of the following (8, past) presidents would you want to lead the nation today?"

The students voted on two propositions as well: changing the letter grading system and a change in school length making it year-long with sparatic, lengthy breaks.

Mock voting was held from 8:20-10:30 a.m., and all votes were tallied by around noon. Some students chose not to vote on certain issues and sections.

The McCain/Palin ticket won the presidency and vice presidency, with a tally of 105-79, (D) Baucus won the senator seat with a tally of 105-74, Democrat ticket Schweitzer/Bohlinger won the governor/lt. governor position by 45 votes, and Republican Rehberg won the house seat by 90 votes.

Students voted that they would most like to see Abraham Lincoln lead the nation today; he received 18 more votes than runner-up George Washington. They voted against changing the grading system to a pass/fail basis and voted against changing the length and breaks of the school year.

After voting, students received an "I voted" sticker and were treated to cookies and lemonade provided by parent volunteers. About eight parent volunteers helped with the mock election, Grebetz said.

A couple weeks before the mock election, Grebetz's students wrote a pro/con essay about the four major political parties: Democrat, Republican, Libertarian and Constitutionalist. The students chose which party they would vote for. Out of 65 students 35 said they would vote Republican, 20 alligned with the Democratic and 10 with the Libertarian parties, Grebetz said.

"The main purpose of this mock election is to show students the election process and help them be less intimidated," Grebetz said, adding that most of the eighth grade class will be eligible to vote in 2016.

Savage said the mock election helps make the children more comfortable voting.

"It makes the kids feel empowered," she said.

Savage worked with Grebetz to design the mock ballots and issues. Middle schoolers brought mock driver's licenses with them - which they made during classes earlier. If middle schoolers did not bring their id with them they were deducted class points, but were still allowed to vote, Savage said.

Students were not mandated to vote and a couple decided not to for religious reasons, Grebertz said. Kindergarteners and first graders have and will also vote, using the secretary of state's online mock election