Election Procedures

Why Voting is Important

One of the most patriotic things American citizens can do is to vote for national, state and local candidates for public office.

Voting is at the root of American democracy. It could be called "Democracy 101."

Every vote counts. That fact was illustrated clearly in the 2004 election for President of the United States.

The results of the 2009 Student/Parent Mock Election will serve as one of the last public opinion polls prior to the General  Election in November. Results of previous Mock Elections have be similar to results of the General Election the following week.

How Schools Can Enroll For The Mock  Election

Teachers and school administrators are urged to enroll online with the National Student/Parent Mock Election website.

There is no deadline to enroll in the Mock Election. However, we urge schools to enroll by October 15 in order to assure they will receive instructions and ballots before the Mock Election.

Who Can Vote

All New Jersey students from kindergarten through 12th grade are encouraged to vote in the Mock Election at their schools between Monday, October 26, and Thursday, October 29.

Voting in the Mock Election is optional and students may choose the ballot categories for which they will cast votes.

When and Where to Vote

Voting in the 2009 Student/Parent Mock Election will be done in New Jersey schools from Monday, October 26, through Thursday, October 29.

In most cases, voting will occur in classes as part of the school day, depending on school schedules and other academic activities (scheduled tests, field trips, etc). Each school determines what day fits best into the school schedule for voting will occur.

The Ballot

The practice ballot is available now for the school's Mock Election Coordinator to retrieve from this website.

The official ballot will be posted on this website in mid-October. The coordinator will print enough ballots for everyone in the school to vote and then will distribute the ballots to teachers on or before October 29. As an option, the coordinator may give one ballot to each teacher, who could display the ballot on an overhead projector in the classroom and ask students to vote on sheets of paper.

Teachers who monitor the election in their classrooms will collect their students' ballots, total them and deliver the total to the school election coordinator no later than 3 p.m., Thursday, October 29.

How Votes Are Reported

The school's Mock Election Coordinator will tabulate votes for each school and report that total ONLY before 4 p.m., Thursday, October 29.

The school coordinator will be issued an ID code. He or she will log on to a special Web page (TO COME) to report the school's results.

When Results Are Announced

The results will be posted October 30 on the New Jersey Mock Election website: www.njmockelection.org .

Answers to Frequently Asked  Questions

New Jersey's Mock Election Coordinator

If you have questions about the New Jersey Student/Parent Mock Election, please send an E-mail to: newsroom@ycjn.us . The manager of the New Jersey Mock Election is the Youth Citizen-Journalist Network.