About Us
What Is the NSPME?

The National Student/Parent Mock Election makes students and parents aware of the power of their ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged campaign and national election. In 2004, the last presidential election year, over 4 million students, parents and teachers participated in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 14 countries/territories around the world where Americans have schools. Over 40 million have participated since the project began. The National Student/Parent Mock Election is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

Mock Election Day is October 30, 2008

The National Student/Parent Mock Election has put millions of dollars worth of free voter-education materials into the schools through its past partnerships with McGraw-Hill, The New York Times, and TIME magazine. The Division of Elections in Trenton, N.J., served as national election headquarters in 2004 and in the two previous presidential elections CNN Studios in Atlanta served as headquarters. A CNN Web cast in which students from all across the country and around the world discussed national issues was held in conjunction with the broadcast of the 2000 Mock Election. The Web cast had twice the number of hits of any previous Web cast on CNN. This year’s Mock Election's national headquarters will be at the Hartford Courant in Hartford, Connecticut.

The National Student/Parent Mock Election is run by a nationwide network of volunteer state and school district coordinators including the League of Women Voters, educators, public officials, newspaper-in-education coordinators, etc., who put hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours into the project.

There is no charge to participate in the National Student/Parent Mock Election, nor is there any charge for curriculum materials. Every American student and parent is invited to join.

"...without a doubt one of the most organized and beneficial events I have attended in my 28 years as an educator... Those of us participating will be able to help instill in our students the feelings of patriotism and the privileges and responsibilities they have as potential voters and leaders of tomorrow."
- Nan Barber, high school teacher