The Clanton Advertiser

The excitement of Election Day in Chilton County on Nov. 6 was not limited to registered adult voters.

Clanton Elementary School students practiced exercising their future right to vote as United States citizens in a mock presidential election Tuesday morning.

Pre-kindergarten, first and second grade students at CES cast their ballots after completing a week’s worth of activities involving this year’s U.S. presidential candidates and the election process.

Principal Rebecca Threlkeld said CES utilized its in-school broadcasting system for the learning activities, which included listening to songs about former U.S. presidents and studying vocabulary related to the election process.

“For a week, we’ve done a unit of study on the presidential candidates and the process of electing a new president,” Threlkeld said. “We’ve encouraged them to encourage the members of their families to vote today and to allow them to go with them to the polling place.”

CES teachers and administrators also stressed to students the importance of privacy in the voting process.

Threlkeld thanked Chilton County Probate Judge Bobby Martin for providing the “I Voted” stickers given to students after they voted.

“We’ve had a good time studying the election process, and they’ve learned a lot,” she said. “It’s been a great social studies lesson for our children.”

CES announced its mock election results Tuesday afternoon.

Of 646 total votes, President Barack Obama defeated Gov. Mitt Romney 367-279, or 57 percent to 43 percent.

Clanton Intermediate School also held a mock election Tuesday. Of 654 total votes, Romney defeated Obama 457-197, or 70 percent to 30 percent.