By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
There were hot button issues on the ballot Wednesday in Laura Weaver’s classroom for gifted fourth graders at Crim Elementary School in Bowling Green.
Should the U.S. keep the Electoral College system? Should the government be able to shoot down drones?
Some issues were closer to home. Should school lunches be tastier? Should school be more affordable for families with less income?
To make the election experience realistic, a touchscreen voting machine was brought to the classroom by Wood County Board of Elections Director Terry Burton.
Weaver’s P.A.C.E. classes have been studying elections – from the original reasoning for the Electoral College, to how votes are counted, and how to be an educated voter.
The importance of voting was always stressed to Weaver as a child.
“If you don’t vote, you don’t have a right to complain,” she said, repeating what she was told when young. “One vote can change everything.”
But before casting their ballots, people should educate themselves. Don’t fall for the mudslinging campaigns, she cautioned.
“If all you do is watch those ads, you’re not a knowledgeable voter,” Weaver said.
Though they are just in fourth grade, the classroom of gifted students was pretty savvy. They debated if the Electoral College system is outdated. They talked about the pros and cons of term limits.
They peppered Burton with questions about the electoral process …
- Do you personally count votes? Well, computers do, Burton responded. As an audit, the election workers hand count 5% of the ballots to make sure they match with the computer results. Though some people believe the truest tallies are reached through hand counting, Burton disagreed. “Humans are the most inaccurate counters. Computers can count faster and more accurately than we can.”
- Are you allowed to vote? Yes, Burton said, but he can’t share his political opinions in the office. “I’ve been taught for several years to keep my opinions to myself.”
- Can a person vote for someone else? No. But accommodations are made to assist elderly people or people with disabilities to vote.
- Are there some people who can’t vote? Yes, those found guilty of certain felonies lose their right to vote.
- What do you do when there are no elections going on? The office is always registering voters, and preparing for the next election. “For us, we’re almost always in an election season,” Burton said.
- What happens if there is a tie of Electoral College votes, which are an even 538? Congress breaks the tie, he said.
- Are absentee ballots counted? It’s a misconception that absentee ballots aren’t counted unless it’s a close race, Burton said. “How do I know it’s close if I don’t count all the votes?”
For some of the students, the desire for a snack temporarily rivaled the desire to learn about voting.
“Don’t worry about snacktime,” Weaver said. “Geez oh pete, we’re voting for president.”
But one astute student added. “We can probably still have snack time.”
“I came for snack time,” Burton piped up.
“I vote we don’t get snacks before we vote,” overruled Weaver.
Each of the students filled out a voter registration card – pretend, since most of them are nine years shy of voting age.
The students watched videos of two fifth graders running for president, and two for vice president. The candidates pitched their political platforms of support for child safety, cheaper necessities for families, improved school activities and better school lunches.
Also on their ballots were the issues of term limits, climate change, regulation of artificial intelligence, and banning the use of drones.
“Do you feel educated enough to make a choice?” Weaver asked.
One by one, the students went into the hallway to vote on the touchscreen machine, and Burton assisted as needed. The fourth graders were meticulous as they read through the issues and placed their votes.
Sam Forman has been an observer of the voting process for years.
“My parents have always let me watch them vote,” he said. “I honestly think that it’s kind of fun.”
Though being the actual voter did carry more pressure. “I knew I had to make the right choices for me.”
Emily Grunwell also took the job seriously.
“It was kind of scary, but it felt good to actually do it,” she said.
There were some ballot issues that she took great care in reading. “I wondered, are they trying to slip anything in that I need to catch?”
Though not good voting etiquette, I peeked at some of the ballots being cast. When asked why he voted “no” for tastier school lunches, Tripp Haas had a reasonable answer.
“Because I like the lunches,” he said.
Meanwhile, the young voters waiting in the classroom to cast their ballots could wait no longer after apparently vetoing Weaver’s snack delay.
And in the hallway, Weaver watched with pride as the students deliberated over each vote.
“Best job in the world,” she said, smiling.
