For the first time since the gubernatorial election of 2022, Pitman High School civics students are letting their opinions known ahead of another critical vote.
Last week, students of all grades from a number of classes (Government, Politics, World History, U.S. History, etc.) learned about America’s democratic process first-hand. After researching independently and writing about some of the nation’s most pressing issues, including submitting letters to the Turlock Journal, a mock election was conducted, providing an inside look into the thoughts and priorities of today’s youth. It was the fourth mock election hosted at Pitman, the first being a vote ahead of the 2020 presidential election while the second in 2021 focused on the vote on whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom.
According to AP U.S. Government and Politics Teacher Isaac Farhadian, who coordinates the elections, over 960 students participated this year.
“Having students participate in these mock elections offers them the opportunity to engage in civic dialogue, conduct independent research, and to debate with their peers on topics important to them and their communities,” Farhadian said. "I want to give a huge shout out to the Pitman High Social Studies Department for their amazing work in making this mock election a success.”
"As educational leaders, it is our responsibility to teach students critical thinking skills and emphasize the importance of their role as voters when they turn 18,” added World History Teacher Jennifer Andrade. “Our role as teachers is to guide these critical thinking skills, empowering students to make their own educated decisions and the mock election did that."
The mock ballots given to students included the same options listed on the real ones that registered voters across the state will fill out this fall. Here are the results of this year’s student vote:
United States President
In the highly anticipated presidential race, Pitman students gave the nod to the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, with 54.7% of the electorate (524 votes). The 45th president bested Vice President Kamala Harris, who in comparison tallied just 356 votes for 37.2% of the voter pool. The remaining 79 students who chose to vote for president went with third-party candidates. That list included Robert Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, Chase Oliver and Claudia De la Cruz.
A nomination for Trump shows a significant shift amongst the young adults in perception of the businessman and reality television star-turned-politician. In the school’s 2020 mock election, current president Joe Biden overwhelmingly won with 446 votes, followed by Trump with 255 votes.
United States Senate
Like the presidential election, Pitman students voted for the conservative candidate in the contest to win the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by the late Dianne Feinstein.
Like registered voters across California, the students voted twice for the same race between Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and former Major League Baseball star Steve Garvey of the Republican party. The first contest asks which of the two candidates voters want to be the U.S. senator for the next full, six-year term of office, which runs from Jan. 3, 2025, until Jan, 3, 2031. The second contest is a special election asking which person you want to be the U.S. senator for the rest of Feinstein’s current term of office, which will end on Jan. 3, 2025.
Garvey won the full-term election handily with 564 votes, or 59.2 percent. Schiff, meanwhile, garnered 388 votes, or 40.8% of the pie. While the former Dodger and Padre also won the election for the partial term, it was by a much slimmer margin, edging Schiff out by just 36 votes.
Propositions
The students voted in favor for all but one state proposition this year — Proposition 6, which would amend the California Constitution to prohibit the state from punishing inmates with involuntary work assignments and from disciplining those who refuse to work and instead allow state prisons to set up a volunteer work assignment program to take time off sentences in the form of credits. Of the 941 students who responded to the proposition, 524 (55.7%) voted against it.
Of the other nine propositions, students voted overwhelmingly in favor of all but four, which were Propositions 3, 32, 33 and 34. In each instance, the propositions were passed with less than 55% of the vote. Proposition 3 reaffirms the right of same-sex couples to marry, Prop. 32 would raise the state minimum wage to $18 an hour, Prop. 33 would allow local governments to impose rent controls and 34 would require some California providers to spend at least 98% of that net drug sale revenue on “direct patient care.”
Everest Colnic, a senior who also participated in the 2022 election, found that the assignment of researching propositions was particularly helpful. “I think that researching propositions should be a requirement for all high school students as it educates future voters, teaches them how to do their own research and sets our country up for success.”
Student Reflections
Blake Creamer, the Pitman chapter president of the Civic Leaders of America, and classmate Ethan Hofsteen each enjoyed this year’s mock election and the fact that it encouraged individual thinking. They emphasized the belief that every person should conduct their own research on each topic and candidate.
"Overall, the mock election assignment gave me a much greater understanding of what topics are currently being debated in California and what the appeal of each running candidate in the election is,” said Hofsteen. “The assignment was the perfect opportunity to not only educate myself on currently discussed propositions, but also create my own opinion on said propositions."
"Granting the students the ability to participate in civic activities such as the mock election allows us to learn more about our own beliefs and get involved in politics." added Creamer.
Over the years, the activity has also proven to students that their opinions on issues are valid as they are usually representative of how recent elections have actually played out.
In the previous three mock elections, Pitman students have correctly predicted the outcome of most races. Of the 22 races and propositions/measures voted on, they have nailed 16 outcomes, most notably the 2020 presidential contest and the 2022 gubernatorial election. Of the six Pitman mock votes that didn’t come to fruition, five dealt with propositions. The lone non-proposition vote they got wrong was the recall vote of 2021, in which 57.1% of the 868 participating students voted to boot Gov. Newsom. That September, 61.9% of Californians voted against the recall.
"The mock election is so important, especially with the youth, because it prepares them for the real world and gets the younger generation more active and involved in the world of politics," said Isabella Ford, Pitman chapter vice president of the Civic Leaders of America.
