Duluth students hold mock election to learn U.S. election process
Duluth middle schoolers prepare for statewide mock election
DULUTH, Minn. — Students at Ordean East Middle School are learning about the election process in their social studies classes ahead of this year’s midterm election.
The students will take part in a mock election on Tuesday November 3, as polls open for the midterm election.
Sixth graders will focus on state government races, seventh graders will focus on national races, and eighth graders will take a global view, all through the lens of why midterm elections matter.
Jodi Timmersman, an eighth grade social studies teacher, said the lessons are meant to show students the impact of the midterm election.
“We try to bring it down to them so that they can understand the impact of the midterm election and that it arguably impacts them even more,” Timmersman said.
Teachers hope a mock election will make the real thing feel less intimidating when the time comes for students to vote.
“There is a lot of data that proves statistically that students who know what to expect are going to be apt to go vote when they turn 18,” Timmersman said.
Student Leighton Godfrey said knowing what to expect makes the process easier.
“I feel like it’s hard to do things when you don’t really know what to do or expect or like what’s going to happen, but if you have already done it before, you’re like, ‘oh, I like that, I am going to do it again, it was pretty easy,’” Godfrey said.
Students are also learning how how to register to vote and how to make an informed choice and know what sources to trust.
Ada Osmundson said political advertisements can complicate that decision for voters.
“I think that advertisements and stuff can be really confusing to like make an informed decision because some people are trying to put up false information or information they think is right because of their opinion,” Osmundson said.
Teachers also give a lesson on local impact, including the Duluth Public Schools referendum question.
Ordean East holds its mock election next Tuesday, sending results to a statewide database with more than 200 schools to give Minnesota another perspective on the election.
Students casting their vote will also meet some of the candidates in this year’s midterm election, along with several city and county leaders volunteering at the event.
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