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Secretary of State’s Office Facilitates Mock Election
for Students at Two Coahoma County High Schools
Clarksdale, Miss.—Students in two Coahoma County high schools cast their ballots this week for candidates in both U.S. Senate races and the Second Congressional District race in the Secretary of State’s Promote the Vote (PTV) mock election.
Coahoma Early College High School and Clarksdale High School used realistic ballots and voted on TSX voting machines, which are the machines registered voters in Coahoma County will use in the upcoming November 6, 2018 election. Students who will turn 18 on or before November 6 also registered to vote. Coahoma Circuit Clerk Demetria Jackson and Representative Orlando Paden were in attendance.
The statewide PTV mock election began on October 1 and ends October 26. Results will be available in November.
“More than 200 students participated in this mock election, which our staff facilitated on site,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said. “We’re hopeful this will be the beginning of a life-long habit of voting for these bright young men and women. Voting, more than any other form of civic engagement, gives each and every Mississippian a voice.”
PTV, the Secretary of State’s comprehensive K-12 voter education program, launched in August with a new theme and implementation materials for teachers. This year’s program asks students to contemplate how they may “Make a Difference in Mississippi” by voting and otherwise getting involved in their communities.
In addition to the mock election, Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) – which is partnering with the Secretary of State’s Office to encourage PTV participation – is hosting a “Best Mock Election Precinct” contest for teachers. Teachers who transform their classroom into a festive election-themed mock precinct, post two pictures on their Facebook page, and tag @MPBonline are eligible to win a door prize.
Art and essay contests are also available for students in grades K-12 and 6-12, respectively. The art contest, called “Colors of My Community,” prompts entrants to pretend they are an artist commissioned to draw a mural on a building in their hometown representing the place and people. The essay contest, called “We Have Business to Do!,” calls on students to focus on the business economy in the local community by using the Secretary of State’s Y’all Business website,www.yallbusiness.sos.ms.gov.
Art and essay entries will be accepted by the Secretary of State’s Office until December 7. Winners will receive an award from local banks and be eligible to participate in a ceremony in February 2019 at the Mississippi State Capitol.
For more about PTV, or to register to become a participating school or classroom, visit www.sos.ms.gov/PTV.
