Barack Obama captured a sweeping victory on Monday in Bromfield’s mock election, organized and run by Kathleen Dohertry’s ninth-grade U.S. history classes.
Of the 489 students from grades six through 12 who voted, 348 voted for Obama, who received 71 percent of the vote. John McCain trailed with 109 votes, Ralph Nader with 12, and Robert Barr and Cynthia McKinney with seven votes each. There were also two write-ins, both for Dennis Kucinich.
Doherty attempts to make the Bromfield mock election as similar to the real voting process as possible. All students are eligible to vote, but they are required to register a week prior to the actual election. This year, 69 percent of students at Bromfield registered to vote and 65 percent voted on Monday, for a voter turnout of 94 percent. The ninth grade led the school in the election, with 94 percent of the class voting, while the senior class trailed, with only 31 percent voting, although 64 percent of 12th graders did register.
The Bromfield mock election ballot also allowed students to vote for Massachusetts senator. The student body re-elected Senator John Kerry by a wide margin, with 71 percent of the vote. Sixteen percent of students voted for Jeffery Beatty, and 6 percent for Robert Underwood.
Students also voted for the three Massachusetts ballot questions on Monday. In order to get students thinking about these questions prior to the election, Bromfield bulletin boards have been devoted to these issues for weeks. A brief summary of each question was also posted in the voting booth for student convenience.
Students were fairly divided on Question 1, the state personal income tax, with 56 percent of students voting “no,” that no changes should be made to state income tax laws. Thirty-six percent of students voted “yes,” and 8 percent of students did not vote one way or the another.
Voters were similarly divided on Question 2, the decriminalization of marijuana. Fifty percent of students voted “yes,” to replace the criminal penalties of possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties. Forty-three percent of students voted “no,” and 7 percent of students did not vote.
On Question 3, students’ opinions on grey-hound racing were clear: 82 percent of students voted “yes,” greyhound racing should be abolished, and 15 percent voted “no.”
