In a mock presidential election at Pocantico Hills Central School Nov. 2, students in grades 4-8 gave the popular vote and electoral college wins to Joe Biden over President Donald Trump.
The fifth- and sixth-grade team arranged for 12 classes to participate in the voting. Each class was assigned four or five states randomly so the students could project an electoral college vote as well as the popular vote.
During the day on Nov. 2, each student visited the middle school hallway to fill out a secret ballot and place it into the ballot box. They learned the results on Nov. 3, Election Day.
Sixth-graders have been learning about the Electoral College and how states have traditionally voted, including New York, so they expected the results of the Pocantico vote. Students carefully watched the results of the swing states – Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and others – in the days after the election.
A special thanks goes to teaching assistant Zeena Arturo for organizing the electoral college vote and counting the ballots.