Students Voting is THE statewide mock election program.
We are excited to announce the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the YMCA Center for Youth Voice are working together again to help students statewide discover the importance of elections and the power of their voice – and their vote – in our democracy.
Students Voting gives teachers at all grade levels the tools and resources to expose their students to a comprehensive voting experience- whether it's online or in person- that includes learning about candidates and issues, voter registration and casting a ballot on or before Election day.
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"Thanks for running this program. Last time it was very helpful for my students to see that students from other schools from around the state saw the election and the world differently than they did." -John
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"We have been working with the students voting program for a number of years. AND we're already signed up for next year. It's an interesting program, and I think for my "greater Minnesota" kids, the data we have access to, afterwards that allows them to compare themselves to "The Cities" and other regions of the State have been impactful. It promotes educated voting, and isn't that what we want too?" -Matt
Overview
2024 will be a big election year with the Presidential race, US Senate and House races, and more! Civic participation is a core Minnesota value, and Students Voting is a great opportunity to get good habits started early with soon-to-be voters. That is why this statewide mock election will return in fall of 2024. What do participants get?
How it works
1. register your school to participate
When registering, select a contact person for your school who will help coordinate the mock election. Any group or individual can be responsible for coordinating the mock election, whether it’s student government, a teacher, a student group, or a committee of students, teachers and parents. Whatever you decide, we’ll need one contact person to receive updates and provide our office with vote totals after the election.
2. Decide how your election will work.
Voting can take place in one central location, over the lunch hour, in individual classrooms, or something entirely different. Each school has unique needs and you have the flexibility to carry out your mock election as you see fit. In addition to using publicly available resources like Learning Law and Democracy Foundation’s civics lesson finder or iCivics, we will be providing resources for you to use if you wish. You might consider lessons and activities such as holding a student debate, having a discussion about why voting matters, how to evaluate media information about candidates, and other essential civic skills.
3. Receive your materials in October.
Schools that sign up in time will receive materials, including a customized mock election ballot (emailed), and tabletop voting booths, ballot boxes, and “I voted” stickers by mail. Later-registering schools will only receive the electronic version of the customized ballot by email.
4. Vote early or on Election Day.
Should you choose, early voting (just like Minnesota voters get to do) is an option.
5. Report your results by Tuesday, November 8.
To be included in the official results, we’ll need your vote tallies no later than Election Day.
6. View statewide results on Wednesday, November 9.
Share the results with your students and have a discussion about what they mean. Explore the demographic differences and similarities school to school and regionally. Connect with other participating schools for combined video-conference discussions or activities.
Common Questions
Is Students Voting still only for high school students?
NO! With the recent merger of Students Vote and Kids Voting into THE statewide K-12 mock election, any school can participate! It is never too early to learn about civics, elections, and the power of your voice! Ask us about how to best approach voting and the election for your school’s grade levels.
Do other states hold mock elections?
Yes, many Secretary of State offices offer statewide mock elections for students. For example:
Can our school vote before Election Day?
Most Students Voting schools will hold their elections on Tuesday, November 8th, but each school is free to offer early voting. In any case, each school submits all of their school’s results at one time. School choice and customization is at the heart of Students Voting. No matter when they hold their election, every school will still have access to all Students Voting materials and resources.
How many races will the ballot have on it?
Students Voting schools receive a customized ballot PDF which looks just like the real ballot, but includes only the races and ballot questions you request.
WHO DO I ASK IF I HAVE QUESTIONS? CLICK HERE!
2022 Participant List (As of 7/19/22)
These 141schools (and over 84,000 students) have signed up for Students Voting 2022!
Academy of Holy Angels |
Adrian MS/HS School |
AFSA High School |
Albert Lea High School |
Anthony Middle School |
Apple Valley High School |
Bancroft Elementary School |
Bay View Elementary |
Bemidji High School |
Bethune Arts School |
Blessed Trinity Catholic School |
BlueSky Online School |
Brandon-Evansville High School |
Bryn Mawr Elementary |
Buffalo High School |
Canby High School |
Cannon Falls Secondary |
Carlton MIddle/High School |
Cedar Island Elementary School |
Central High School (SPPS) |
Century High School (Rochester) |
Chaska Middle School East |
Cityview Community School |
Clearbrook-Gonvick School |
Community of Saints Regional Catholic School |
Como Park High School |
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School |
Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities Magnet |
Ellsworth Public School |
Empower Learning Center |
Fridley High School |
Friendship Academy of the Arts |
Glencoe Silver Lake High School |
Good Shepherd Lutheran School |
Goodridge Public School ISD 561 |
Grand Rapids Senior High School |
Hardin High school |
Hawley High School |
Hendricks High School |
Highlands Elementary |
Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary |
Hinckley-Finlayson High School |
Hope Academy |
Hopkins High School |
Houston High School |
Hutchinson High School |
Indus School |
Irondale High School |
Jenny Lind Elementary School |
John Adams Middle School |
Jordan Middle School |
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Jr/Sr. High |
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Secondary |
Lake Middle School |
Lake of the Woods School |
Lakes International Language Academy Lower School |
Lancaster Public School |
Le Sueur-Henderson MS/HS |
Liberty Classical Academy |
Lincoln Center Elementary |
Lionsgate Academy Shoreview |
Mahtomedi High School |
Maple Grove Senior High |
Maplewood Academy |
Marshall High School |
Milaca Secondary High |
Minneota Elementary |
Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy |
Mississippi Creaitve Arts School |
Moose Lake Community School |
Mounds View High School |
Nashwauk-Keewatin Secondary |
Nativity of Mary Bloomington |
Nawayee center School |
New Prague High School |
Nicollet Public School |
North Junior High |
North Shore Community School |
Northeast College Prep (Middle School) |
Northrop Community School |
Nova Classical Academy (Upper School) |
Paladin Career and Technical High School |
Park Center Senior High School |
Park Rapids Area High School |
Parkers Prairie High School |
Pillsbury Elementary |
Pine City High School |
Pine Harbor Christian Academy |
Plainview Elgin Millville High School |
Plymouth Youth Center Arts & Technology High School |
Prairie Lakes Education Center |
Pratt Community School |
Project SEARCH State of MN |
Raleigh Academy |
RANDOLPH HIGH SCHOOL |
Red Lake County Central High School |
Riverview Elementary School |
Rochester Arts and Sciences Academy |
Roosevelt High School |
Rush City High School |
Saint Andrew Catholic School |
Saint Cloud Math and Science Academy |
Saints Peter & Paul School |
Samuel Lutheran School |
Sauk Centre Independent School District No. 743 |
School of Environmental Studies |
Sebeka High School |
Sheridan Hills Elementary School |
Sleepy Eye Public Schools |
Southwest High School |
Southwest Middle School |
Spring Grove Public Schools |
St John's Lutheran School |
St. Anastasia Catholic School |
St. Anthony Village High School |
St. Mary's School |
St. Paul School of Northern Lights |
St. Paul's Lutheran School |
St. Paul's School |
St. Scholastica HSC Academy |
St.Joseph's School |
Tartan High School |
The International School of Minnesota |
Thomas Edison High School |
Tower-Soudan |
TrekNorth Jr. and Sr. High School |
Tri-City United High School |
Twin Cities Academy |
Two Harbors High School |
Two Rivers High School |
Underwood School |
Venture Academy |
Waconia High School |
Washburn High School |
White Bear Lake Area High School - North Campus |
Willow Creek Middle School |
Willow River Area School |
Winona Middle School |
Woodbury High School |
Zimmerman Middle School |