For Immediate Release: November 1, 2002
Further information: Ann Scanlon 617-514-1662
Boston, MA–On November 1, 2002, 18,717 students in grades kindergarten through twelve at 73 Massachusetts schools cast their votes in the 2002 National Student/Parent Mock Election and elected Mitt Romney governor by a mere 235 votes. Final tabulations broke down as follows:
- Mitt Romney 8,336 votes
- Shannon O’Brien 8,101
- Jill Stein 1,152
- Barbara Johnson 720
- Carla Howell 408
The 2002 National Student/Parent Mock Election program was held in states across the nation to increase understanding of the voting process among students at all grade levels and to promote a discussion of issues and candidates at both home and in school. The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston served as “election headquarters” for Massachusetts as part of the national campaign to promote the importance of voting.
“President Kennedy saw the right to vote as one of our most precious rights,” said Tom Putnam, Director of the Kennedy Library Education Department. “So it is only fitting that the presidential library that honors his life and legacy encourages students and all Americans to embrace and exercise this most important right.”
Representatives at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum warned that the results are not and cannot be considered a scientific sampling. Among the mock elections of the National Student/Parent Mock Election, there is no uniformity of participation, age levels, preparation of voters, or voting strategies, and therefore, the election results are not representative of any voting trend of the American public. The results should not and cannot be used as an accurate prediction, or as the basis for an accurate prediction, of real election results.
More information on the national student/parent mock election can be found on the Internet at http://www.nationalmockelection.com.