Several schools in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District conducted mock presidential elections on Tuesday. Most schools included students in third through sixth grades.
Before the election, students became familiar with biographies of the presidential candidates and read books about voting and the voting process.
Roosevelt students had a visit from Santa Barbara County Clerk, Recorder and Assessor Joe Holland.
Schools reporting to librarian Nancy Tobin’s “Election Central” were Franklin, Harding, McKinley, Monroe, Roosevelt, Washington and the Santa Barbara Community Academy.
The tally was Barack Obama with 1,041 votes and John McCain with 81.
“Scholastic hosts a mock presidential election each year, and young voters have only misjudged the winner twice since 1940,” Tobin said.
Barbara Keyani is the Santa Barbara School District’s administrative services and communications coordinator.