For Immediate Release: October 1, 2008
Further information: Brent R. Carney (617) 514-1662, Brent.Carney@JFKLFoundation.org
Boston, MA – The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum today announced that it will once again be the Massachusetts host site for the 2008 National Student/Parent Mock Election. The Mock Election, which will take place on October 30, 2008, actively engages students in state and national campaigns to emphasize the importance of voting and the power of their ballots.
“President Kennedy once called the right to vote ‘the most precious and powerful right in the world,’” said Tom Putnam, Director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “In serving as the Massachusetts headquarters for the National Student/Parent Mock Election, the Kennedy Library seeks to engage students throughout the Commonwealth in the 2008 presidential campaign and offer them the opportunity to vote for the candidate they think should be our nation’s 44th President.”
Schools, teachers and/or parents wishing to participate must fill out and return the Mock Election Enrollment Form. To obtain an enrollment form you may download, or call 866-JFK-1960. Participation in the National Student/Parent Mock Election and all associated educational materials are free.
Click here to download a mock election enrollment form. (pdf)
About the Program
The National Student Parent Mock Election is a voter education program for all students, K-12. Headquartered at the University of Arizona, the Mock Election is locally administered by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
The Mock Election is a non-partisan educational program endorsed by both Democrats and Republicans. It is not intended to be predictive of adult voting patterns.
How the Program Works
The Mock Election is school and classroom-based. Teachers receive curricular materials from a coordinator within their school and implement them as they choose. Students learn about the election process, the candidates, and the current political campaign through age-appropriate classroom lessons and activities.
On or before Mock Election Day, October 30, 2008, students in classrooms across the United States will cast their votes on mock ballots for President. Separate ballots will be provided for students and parents. We encourage parents to use this program as a chance to discuss politics, issues, and civic participation with their children.
After all votes have been cast, the school coordinator reports the results to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on or before October 30. The Kennedy Library will report this information to the National Headquarters where results from all 50 states will be tabulated and released to the media.
For more information on the National Student/Parent Mock Election visit www.nationalmockelection.org.