Ankeny Students Shoot Down Cell Phones, Marijuana in Mock Election

Ankeny students have spoken: Cell phones have no place on the road and marijuana needs to remain illegal in the state of Iowa.

students cast 1,191 ballots . Five measures were on the ballot, including the ones about legalizing marijuana in the state of Iowa, as well as banning cell phones while driving.

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Eleven Polk County high schools participated in the mock election. In total, 7,143 votes were cast.

“We were impressed with the level of excitement regarding the election and all the hard work put in by volunteers,” said Steve Chasse, instructor at Ankeny High School.

In addition to the measures, students also voted for their favorite Republican presidential candidate. Each GOP candidate was then pitted against President Barack Obama. 

Students throughout the county chose Ron Paul as their Republican candidate with 31 percent of the votes. 

But when they were placed on the ballot against Obama, Republican candidates didn’t fare so well. Obama was re-elected by student voters in each and every match-up.

As for the ballot measures, here’s how they fared among Ankeny student voters:

Shall students be given the opportunity to contribute to community service or participate in non-paid internships in return for class credit?

• This measure passed with 87 percent of votes in favor of the measure.

Shall the State of Iowa legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational uses? The drug will be registered and taxed.

• Ankeny students were divided on this measure despite it being brought down. Fifty-one percent of voters voted against the measure while 49 percent supported it.

Shall the State of Iowa ban the use of cell phones while driving?

• Cell phones have no place on the road, according to 55 percent of Ankeny student voters.

Shall the city of Ankeny invest the necessary funds to become a wireless community?

• Student voters want wireless with 71 percent supporting the measure.

Shall the Ankeny Community School District invest the necessary funds to become a one-to-one laptop district in grades 6-12?

• Sixty-three percent of student voters were in favor of the district implementing a one-to-one laptop initiative.

During the mock election, students were allowed to vote during their free periods throughout the day. In addition to the juniors and seniors at Ankeny High School, sophomores at the Southview campus also participated. 

Chasse said no student is forced to vote. “That’s not the point of it,” he said.

More than 100 students volunteered to be “poll workers” during the mock election, Chasse said.