The Tide
DHS Student Council Hosts Mock ElectionThursday, November 06, 2008 By Adam Keech
Dover, NH -- On Wednesday October 29th Dover High School’s Student Council held a mock election in which DHS students predicted the results of the upcoming election. Voting resulted in a democratic sweep for New Hampshire in the election, and also here at DHS. Although the student voter turnout of approximately 15 percent was not something that Student Council president Noah Kabarra was proud of, he was glad to give DHS students a real taste of the democratic voting process. “The point was to introduce those underage kids to the democratic process. This is probably the first time most of the kids here had a say in something large scale,” said Kabarra. Both Kabarra and Student Council adviser, Ms. Kathryn Fontaine, acknowledged that student council could have done better in getting the word out to go vote in the mock election. Kabbara explains his interpretation of the low turnout. “I was disappointed at the turnout, but that is mostly due to us [student council]. We didn’t spread the word enough. Some kids had no idea that we were holding this school election.” Senior Tyler Gendron, 17, was among those students unaware of the mock election but remains sure it was not out of lack of interest. “I wasn’t aware of the mock election during lunch, because I [was] distracted during lunch, but I would have voted if I had known,” he said. Fontaine also stressed the importance of simulating the real election. “We wanted kids to have to take time out of their day to vote, just as they would in a real election. If we had everyone vote, it wouldn’t accuratley portrey the independent process of voting,” she said. Senior Christine Naumann, also 17, voted in the mock election because she believes there was a great magnitude of difference that could be made in the real election. “It was a very important election, so I voted during lunch to express my opinion although I can’t vote yet.” In all cases the NH election results matched the DHS mock election, with many of the DHS percentages coming close to the CNN.com statistics. Senator Barack Obama won the student vote overwhelmingly with 74 percent compared to the 55 percent of NH citizens that voted for the senator. Before the state citizens decided to vote incumbent Governor Lynch, students spoke clearly with 81 percent, compared to the 70 percent of residents that voted. For congress, former Oyster River graduate Carol Shea-Porter won the student vote with 61 percent compared to the state vote of 53 percent. At senate, former Governor and teacher, Jeanne Shaheen defeated incumbent Senator John Sununu with 73 percent and 52 percent respectively. |