The National Student/Parent Mock Election certainly ranks among the most outstanding democracy efforts for young people. As state coordinator of Maine’s program, I know our experience has been extremely positive. Organizing Mock Election Activities Statewide b y   B i l l   D i a m o n d S e c r e t a r y   o f   S t a t e ,   M a i n e O B J E C T I V E S Through planning a statewide mock election project, you can expect to: 1.   help students and parents actively experience the electoral process and the rewards of civic participation. 2.   encourage pride in U.S. citizenship and knowledge of individual responsibilities in a democracy. 3.   increase voter turnout in the state. M E T H O D S One of the mock election’s secrets to success is this: it’s easy to organize. Every state conducts the mock election a little differently. The only “musts” in the mock election are: 1) schools must culminate their local projects with a mock election on the day designated by the national office, and 2) partici- pating states must compile and report their results to the “National Mock Election Headquarters.” That’s it. Most states, of course, are far too excited about the mock election to stop there and want to do more, not less. The responsibilities of a state coordinator include the following: 1.   Involve as many people and organizations as possible. 2.   Emphasize the mock election’s civic education goals. 3.   Provide local support, but allow creative and inexpensive projects. 4.   Establish a state election headquarters. C     H     A     P     T     E     R 16

1.  Involve as many people and organizations as possible. The support of as many people and organizations as possible—even if the support is only nominal— will help your program. Be inclusive from the very start by establishing a mock election steering committee. Such a group might include representatives of teachers organi- zations or civic education associations such as the Council for the Social Studies. The steering com- mittee might also include non-profit organizations such as the League of Women Voters or the Parent Teacher Association. The National Student/ Parent Mock Election has the support of many national organizations and local chapters are often willing to help. A list of the national organizations, which may have a local chapter in your area, is available from the National Student/Parent Mock Election. School administrators such as principals or superintendents can be helpful, and business leaders are sometimes willing to participate. A represen- tative of the county or municipal elections officials should be on the steering committee. It’s important to include a member of the media, as well. Use your own creativity when issuing invitations! It’s best to keep this group to approximately 12 members. Once you’ve established a steering committee, the networking opportunities expand immediately. The committee can be helpful in many ways, such as identifying and securing the resources to provide materials you plan to distribute to schools. These materials can be elaborate or simple. In Maine, we provide all schools with a one-page list of suggested activities and several mock ballots suitable for reproduction. We provide additional classroom material upon request. Some schools have developed their own curriculum and allow us to share it with other schools. Your steering committee can help you decide not only what to do, but also how to make it happen. As part of our effort to recruit schools to partici- pate in the mock election, all four members of our Congressional delegation and our Governor send a joint letter to every school principal in Maine asking them to join this program. We also send invitations to schools. We want a great deal of participation in this project, and that includes allowing anyone to vote in the mock election. Students and parents are the primary audience, but if a school wants their food service staff to participate, we’re all for it. The mock election should be exciting and inclusive, not somber and exclusive. If somebody offers to get involved, we find a place for them. Don’t turn away assistance. It’s important that work be delegated. The mock election is labor-intensive and can be overwhelming. The more supporters, stakeholders or sponsors your mock election wins, the better your chances for a successful program with a high level of participation, enthusiasm, and public exposure. 2.  Emphasize the mock election’s civic education goals. Whenever you are talking about the mock election—especially with the public or the media— emphasize that the event is an educational exercise designed to promote democracy and encourage voting. The mock election is not a poll or a survey and should not be considered as such. The results of the mock election do not reflect the real election in any way, accurately or inaccurately. In the 1994 mock election, news releases in Maine used the following language: The National Student/Parent Mock Election is a democracy education exercise that emphasizes the importance of voting and good citizenship. The program in Maine is intended for, but not restricted to, students in grades 3–12. Students, parents, and others sometimes cast ballots as part of this project. Mock election results are for the enjoyment of the participants and are in no way intended to predict, forecast, or otherwise be connected with the outcome of the real election. You should not talk about how “it’s interesting to see what young people think.” Such statements feed the unfounded criticisms sometimes leveled against the mock election by those who contend that it skews the results of the real election. Make it absolutely clear at all times that this project is about educating students, not about polling them. This is critical for the integrity of your project and will help ensure more candidates participate in your effort. In

Maine’s 1994 project, at least one candidate from almost every statewide race participated in the festivities. In many cases all the candidates participated, including those who are now addressed as Congressman, Senator, and Governor! 3. Provide local support, but allow creative and inexpensive projects. A successful mock election requires flexibility on a statewide level. Some schools conduct big projects, others small. Some schools set up realistic polling sites in cooperation with local election officials, and some don’t. Some classes study the elections all semester, and some have a one-hour lesson on mock election day. Sometimes a class participates, and sometimes a whole school. The mock election allows for these differences and encourages local organizers to do as much as they are able. 4.  Establish a state election headquarters. One of the things we do in Maine to support the program on statewide level is to organize a major event the night of the mock election. In 1994, hundreds of students from across the state convened at a conference hall to eat pizza, staff phone banks where election results were reported, and listen to candidates. Almost every major candidate, including those who would be elected to the U.S. Senate and Governorship, attended the event. Even at this event, we tried to be creative and low-cost. For example, we decorated the hall by setting up folding tables around the perimeter of the site, giving one table to every political campaign that wanted one. Political campaigns signed up prior to the event and were allowed inside mock election headquarters several hours before the students. Campaign staffers brought shirts, signs, balloons, literature, and more. It turned out much like a big political convention or rally. Students volunteered to staff most of the jobs at the event, make speeches (or sing songs!) on behalf of candidates and introduce the candidates themselves. Mock election supporters got involved in many ways—they participated in everything from decorating facilities to shuttling students to and from headquarters. The students loved it, the campaigns went crazy, and the media provided lots of coverage. And all of it was virtually free to the mock election. In Maine, private corporations provided the modest funds that were needed to buy food, rent a facility, and hook up phones for the event. (A videotape of this event is available from the National Student/Parent Mock Election national headquarters.) Ultimately, we do not turn anyone away from the project in Maine. If a school wants ballots, we urge, encourage, and support them. The state coordinator doesn’t have to make sure everybody does the same thing, but he or she does need to ensure that every- body has what they need. It doesn’t always take a big budget. Postage and printing costs are likely to be your biggest expenses because communication is so important. A dose of enthusiasm goes a long way. Mock election activities emphasize experiential education and can help educators incorporate many of the new National Standards for Civics and Government. For example, the standards suggest that students understand the relationship of limited government to individual freedoms (i.e., how political rights limit government, how a limited government protects political freedoms). See the new standards, Section I. By participating in a mock election, students gain a better understanding of the power of government, how government works, how individuals can participate in the political process, and individual rights. The Standards also state that students should be able to explain the most important responsibilities of state government and understand the powers of various political leaders, how government affects society, how diverse groups influence the govern-ment and vice versa, and the differences between Liberalism and Republicanism. See the new standards, Section III. Maine students composed a song about Congresswoman Olympia Snowe when she was a candidate for the Senate and sang it to her on television. Senator Snowe remains an enthusiastic supporter of the National Student/Parent Mock Election.