ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Kyle Marlin, left, and Sophie DiGrande work the check-out table during mock election at Swampscott Middle School.
By GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — They may not be old enough to vote, but Swampscott Middle School students had their voices heard on Monday.
The middle school held a mock election, where 720 students and some staff members voted. In charge of the polls in the school’s library were Natalie Paine, the computer teacher, and Abby Rogers, the seventh grade social studies teacher.
Throughout the day, seventh-graders checked in students to vote and then tabulated the results into a spreadsheet that provided graphs that refreshed as ballots were counted.
“We get to see what goes on when adults vote,” said 12-year-old Marin Mercer when she was checking out students.
Sophie DiGrande, 13, a seventh-grader checking out students with Mercer, agreed. She said the process lets them know what they’ll be doing when they turn 18.
All students voted for president. Seventh- and eighth-graders voted on all four ballot questions, while sixth grade ballots included all questions except for Question 4, the legalization of recreational marijuana, and fifth-graders only picked between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump for president.
“I think it’s important that they have a voice and share their opinions,” said Rogers. “They get their information from their parents, the media and their school, so it’s nice that they’re able to share their opinion.”
To prepare during class, students have been reading magazine articles, watching some video clips and there’s been some time devoted to breaking down the questions.
The results at the middle school were lopsided. Clinton, the former secretary of state, won with 58.9 percent, while Trump, a businessman, garnered 25.5 percent of the popular vote.
“I voted for Hillary,” said 12-year-old Hanna Mouhsin. “I agree with most of her views on immigration and deportation.”
Lydia Cutillo, 13, said she voted for Trump because she likes how he thinks. Emma Bragan, 12, said she voted for Trump because she was swayed by her family and she thinks Clinton is going to raise taxes.
“I’m not voting for Trump,” Bragan said. “I’m just voting against Hillary.”
Students were not in favor of a second slots parlor, defeating the proposal 62.7 percent to 37.3 percent. They also voted against more charter schools and legalizing recreational marijuana, 72.8 percent to 27.2 percent and 63.6 percent to 36.4 percent respectively. But they were in favor of Question 3, with 79.7 percent voting to prohibit the sale of eggs, veal or pork of a farm animal confined in spaces that prevent the animal from lying down, standing up, extending its limbs or turning around.
Mouhsin voted against lifting the cap on charter schools.
“For charter, we’re paying for higher education we don’t have access to and I don’t think that’s right,” she said.
But Milena Mnatsakanyan, 12, said she is in favor of charter school expansion. She got accepted to Marblehead Community Charter School, but decided on staying with Swampscott Middle School because she has more friends there.
“I feel like we should have more charter schools,” she said.
Superintendent Pamela Angelakis said the hands-on process of the mock election teaches students what it is like as an adult.
“At a young age, it’s important for them to know the responsibilities they have as a United States citizen, and voting is a right and a privilege,” she said.
*In Swampscott Middle School
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.