Kentucky Student Mock Election

Welcome to the Kentucky Secretary of State Mock Election site.  This year, the National Student/Parent Mock Election Committee and the Office of the Secretary of State are teaming up to coordinate a statewide mock election for students which will be held October 30, 2008.  The Office of the Secretary of State is thrilled to host this event and encourages all of our Kentucky schools to actively participate in the nation’s largest, most successful voter education project.

In the 2004 Presidential Election year, nearly 50,000 high school students from across the Commonwealth cast their ballots in the National Student/Parent Mock Election.  This year, we are hoping to beat that total!  In order to accomplish this feat, we have, for the first time, expanded the Mock Election to include students in elementary, middle, and high schools.  Our Kentucky ballot will enable students to vote on the candidates for President, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Representative in their congressional district.  Additionally, issues of national importance such as the economy, immigration, and energy will be included on the mock election ballot.  Your students will be able to view the final statistics on our website, and all results will be reported nationally. 

Our partner this year is the National Student/Parent Mock Election, which seeks to turn the sense of powerlessness that keeps young Americans and their parents from going to the polls into a sense of the power of participation in our democracy. This project is an exceptional tool for confronting, and in many cases, reversing the disturbing voting trends in the 18-24 year old demographic.  Engaging students with the core principles of democracy will foster an important behavior that they will carry far beyond the classroom. For more details on NSPME, please visit their website at www.nationalmockelection.org. 

As you may be aware, our office directs the Civic Literacy Initiative of Kentucky, a multi-year effort to restore civic literacy and engagement across the Commonwealth.  The National Student/Parent Mock Election is an exceptional tool for confronting this issue because it engages students with the core principles of democracy and cultivates an important behavior that they will carry far beyond the classroom.  With your participation, we will accomplish our goal of expanding civic awareness and making this the most successful Mock Election to date!

Results

Click on the following link to see the results from the Kentucky Student Mock Election sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of State.

Registration

If your school would like to be involved in fostering youth voter participation through the Kentucky Student Mock Election, please send an email to sos.mockelection@ky.gov no later than Monday, October 20, 2008, with the name, school, address, email address, phone number of a contact, and the approximate number of student participants.  If you prefer, you may fax the coordinator form (click here) to (502) 564-5687.  We will respond with pertinent information regarding this project, which includes information on conducting the election and your school’s ballot. 

Participants

To view a list of schools that have registered and thus have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming mock election, please click here.

Internet Resources

The guide includes recommended resources for voting and election lesson plans in addition to websites for students to research candidates, political parties, and Kentucky elections.  Click here to view the guide.

Sample Press Release

The mock election offers an excellent opportunity for schools to publicize their successful efforts in community newspapers or other publications. Click here to view the sample press release.

Ballots

Each student ballot includes candidates for President/Vice President and United States Senator.  Ballots will also include candidates for United States Representative in Congress, depending on the Congressional District.  The 2008 Mock Election Ballots will be coming soon!  Click on the links below to view the campaign websites of each of the candidates seeking offices:

President of the United States
John McCain  http://www.exploremccain.com
Barack Obama   http://www.barackobama.com
Ralph Nader  http://www.votenader.org
Bob Barr  http://www.bobbarr2008.com
Chuck Baldwin  http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com
 
United States Senate
Mitch McConnell  http://teammitch.com
Bruce Lunsford  http://www.bruce2008.com
 
United States House of Representatives
District 1
Ed Whitfield  http://www.whitfieldforcongress.com
Heather Ryan  http://www.ryanforkentucky.com
District 2
Brett Guthrie   http://www.guthrieforcongress.com
David Boswell   http:/www.davidboswellforkentucky.com
District 3
Anne Northup   http://www.northupforcongress.com/
John Yarmuth  http://www.johnyarmuth.com/
Ed Martin  http://www.martin4liberty.com/
District 4
Geoff Davis   http://www.geoffdavisforcongress.com/
Michael Kelley  http://www.kelley08.com
District 5
Hal Rogers  http://halrogers.house.gov/
Jim Holbert  https://www.jimholbert2008.com/
District 6
Jon Larson  http://www.jonlarsonforcongress.com
Ben Chandler   http://chandler.house.gov/