Minnesota Secretary Of State - Students Voting Statewide Mock Election
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Students Voting Statewide Mock Election


Students Voting is THE statewide mock election program.
We are excited to announce the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the YMCA Center for Youth Voice are working together again to help students statewide discover the importance of elections and the power of their voice – and their vote – in our democracy.
Students Voting gives teachers at all grade levels the tools and resources to expose their students to a comprehensive voting experience- whether it's online or in person- that includes learning about candidates and issues, voter registration and casting a ballot on or before Election day.

 


 

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"Thanks for running this program. Last time it was very helpful for my students to see that students from other schools from around the state saw the election and the world differently than they did." -John

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"We have been working with the students voting program for a number of years. AND we're already signed up for next year. It's an interesting program, and I think for my "greater Minnesota" kids, the data we have access to, afterwards that allows them to compare themselves to "The Cities" and other regions of the State have been impactful.  It promotes educated voting, and isn't that what we want too?" -Matt

 

Overview

2024 will be a big election year with the Presidential race, US Senate and House races, and more! Civic participation is a core Minnesota value, and Students Voting is a great opportunity to get good habits started early with soon-to-be voters. That is why this statewide mock election will return in fall of 2024. What do participants get?

  • hands-on experience with the electoral process

  • to cast a customized mock ballot and have their statewide and national votes tallied and shared

  • a sense of the responsibility and power they will soon hold as voters.

    Students Voting is designed to give schools and teachers both flexibility and support.

    Schools will receive everything they need: printable customized realistic election ballots; tabletop voting booths; ballot boxes; resources and lesson plans that teachers may use; “I Voted” stickers; and creative ideas for making your election a success.

 

How it works

1. register your school to participate
When registering, select a contact person for your school who will help coordinate the mock election. Any group or individual can be responsible for coordinating the mock election, whether it’s student government, a teacher, a student group, or a committee of students, teachers and parents. Whatever you decide, we’ll need one contact person to receive updates and provide our office with vote totals after the election.

 

2. Decide how your election will work.
Voting can take place in one central location, over the lunch hour, in individual classrooms, or something entirely different. Each school has unique needs and you have the flexibility to carry out your mock election as you see fit. In addition to using publicly available resources like Learning Law and Democracy Foundation’s civics lesson finder or iCivics, we will be providing resources for you to use if you wish.  You might consider lessons and activities such as holding a student debate, having a discussion about why voting matters, how to evaluate media information about candidates, and other essential civic skills. 

3. Receive your materials in October.
Schools that sign up in time will receive materials, including a customized mock election ballot (emailed), and tabletop voting booths, ballot boxes, and “I voted” stickers by mail.  Later-registering schools will only receive the electronic version of the customized ballot by email.

4. Vote early or on Election Day.
Should you choose, early voting (just like Minnesota voters get to do) is an option. 

5. Report your results by Tuesday, November 8.
To be included in the official results, we’ll need your vote tallies no later than Election Day.

6. View statewide results on Wednesday, November 9.
Share the results with your students and have a discussion about what they mean.  Explore the demographic differences and similarities school to school and regionally.  Connect with other participating schools for combined video-conference discussions or activities. 

 

Common Questions

Is Students Voting still only for high school students?
NO! With the recent merger of Students Vote and Kids Voting into THE statewide K-12 mock election, any school can participate!  It is never too early to learn about civics, elections, and the power of your voice! Ask us about how to best approach voting and the election for your school’s grade levels.

Do other states hold mock elections?
Yes, many Secretary of State offices offer statewide mock elections for students. For example:

  • California has been running a successful statewide student mock election with schools since 2006, with over 250,000 students participating.

  • In Iowa, nearly 60,000 students participated in the statewide Youth Presidential Straw Poll ahead of Iowa Caucuses. Students from over 250 schools participated.

Can our school vote before Election Day?
Most Students Voting schools will hold their elections on Tuesday, November 8th, but each school is free to offer early voting. In any case, each school submits all of their school’s results at one time. School choice and customization is at the heart of Students Voting. No matter when they hold their election, every school will still have access to all Students Voting materials and resources.

 

How many races will the ballot have on it?  
Students Voting schools receive a customized ballot PDF which looks just like the real ballot, but includes only the races and ballot questions you request.

  • Some wish to customize their ballot for the mock election, but teach about/explain all the current races, and that is great!  Your full sample ballot may be seen 45 days before the election at: SAMPLE BALLOT 
    (Sample ballot is not available for all local elections. You may need to contact the local government (city, town or school district) holding the election.)

WHO DO I ASK IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?  CLICK HERE!

2022 Participant List (As of 7/19/22)

These 141schools (and over 84,000 students) have signed up for Students Voting 2022!

Academy of Holy Angels

Adrian MS/HS School

AFSA High School

Albert Lea High School

Anthony Middle School

Apple Valley High School

Bancroft Elementary School

Bay View Elementary

Bemidji High School

Bethune Arts School

Blessed Trinity Catholic School

BlueSky Online School

Brandon-Evansville High School

Bryn Mawr Elementary

Buffalo High School

Canby High School

Cannon Falls Secondary

Carlton MIddle/High School

Cedar Island Elementary School

Central High School (SPPS)

Century High School (Rochester)

Chaska Middle School East

Cityview Community School

Clearbrook-Gonvick School

Community of Saints Regional Catholic School

Como Park High School

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities Magnet

Ellsworth Public School

Empower Learning Center

Fridley High School

Friendship Academy of the Arts

Glencoe Silver Lake High School

Good Shepherd Lutheran School

Goodridge Public School ISD 561

Grand Rapids Senior High School

Hardin High school

Hawley High School

Hendricks High School

Highlands Elementary

Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary

Hinckley-Finlayson High School

Hope Academy

Hopkins High School

Houston High School

Hutchinson High School

Indus School

Irondale High School

Jenny Lind Elementary School

John Adams Middle School

Jordan Middle School

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Jr/Sr. High

Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Secondary

Lake Middle School

Lake of the Woods School

Lakes International Language Academy Lower School

Lancaster Public School

Le Sueur-Henderson MS/HS

Liberty Classical Academy

Lincoln Center Elementary

Lionsgate Academy Shoreview

Mahtomedi High School

Maple Grove Senior High

Maplewood Academy

Marshall High School

Milaca Secondary High

Minneota Elementary

Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy

Mississippi Creaitve Arts School

Moose Lake Community School

Mounds View High School

Nashwauk-Keewatin Secondary

Nativity of Mary Bloomington

Nawayee center School

New Prague High School

Nicollet Public School

North Junior High

North Shore Community School

Northeast College Prep (Middle School)

Northrop Community School

Nova Classical Academy (Upper School)

Paladin Career and Technical High School

Park Center Senior High School

Park Rapids Area High School

Parkers Prairie High School

Pillsbury Elementary

Pine City High School

Pine Harbor Christian Academy

Plainview Elgin Millville High School

Plymouth Youth Center Arts & Technology High School

Prairie Lakes Education Center

Pratt Community School

Project SEARCH State of MN

Raleigh Academy

RANDOLPH HIGH SCHOOL

Red Lake County Central High School

Riverview Elementary School

Rochester Arts and Sciences Academy

Roosevelt High School

Rush City High School

Saint Andrew Catholic School

Saint Cloud Math and Science Academy

Saints Peter & Paul School

Samuel Lutheran School

Sauk Centre Independent School District No. 743

School of Environmental Studies

Sebeka High School

Sheridan Hills Elementary School

Sleepy Eye Public Schools

Southwest High School

Southwest Middle School

Spring Grove Public Schools

St John's Lutheran School

St. Anastasia Catholic School

St. Anthony Village High School

St. Mary's School

St. Paul School of Northern Lights

St. Paul's Lutheran School

St. Paul's School

St. Scholastica HSC Academy

St.Joseph's School

Tartan High School

The International School of Minnesota

Thomas Edison High School

Tower-Soudan

TrekNorth Jr. and Sr. High School

Tri-City United High School

Twin Cities Academy

Two Harbors High School

Two Rivers High School

Underwood School

Venture Academy

Waconia High School

Washburn High School

White Bear Lake Area High School - North Campus

Willow Creek Middle School

Willow River Area School

Winona Middle School

Woodbury High School

Zimmerman Middle School