NHPTV Hosts Mock Election for Students

DURHAM, NH — More than 10,000 Granite State students at 126 schools participated in a mock election on Nov. 7, 2016, and chose Democrat Hillary Clinton for president, according to the results, sponsored by New Hampshire Public Television. Clinton won the student vote with 46 percent – 4,565 votes – with Republican Donald Trump receiving 4,127 votes or about 41 percent. Libertarian Gary Johnson received 8 percent (848 votes) and Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, came in fourth with 3 percent (302). Rocque “Rocky” De La Fuente, who was also on the ballot, received 2 percent. Less than one percent of the ballots were for “other.”

Students also selected Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, in the U.S. Senate race over incumbent U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, by a whopping 12 percent – 4,003 to 3,016 votes. Independent Aaron Day received 546 votes – 7 percent – with Libertarian Brian Chabot receiving 5 percent (408 votes).

In the governor’s race, however, students shifted to the GOP and gave Executive Councilor Chris Sununu the win by a wide margin – 9 percent – against Democrat Colin Van Ostern, also an Executive Councilor, 3,755 to 3,075, 49 to 40 percent. Libertarian Max Abramson received 821 votes or 11 percent.

For Congress, 1st Congressional District students elected incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta, R-NH, over former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH, 1,933 to 1,585, or about an 8 percent spread, according to the results. Independent Shawn O’Connor received 357 votes (8 percent). Libertarian Robert Lombardo received 267 votes – 6 percent – and Independent Brendan Kelly, who dropped out of the race in September and endorsed O'Connor, received 7 percent of the vote.

U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, easily bested former state Rep. Jim Lawrence, R-NH, by about 7 percent, 1,443 to 1,240 votes (47 to 40 percent). Independent John Babiarz received 13 percent of the vote or 414 votes.

The full results are posted here.

“The New Hampshire Mock Election is an opportunity for students to learn about the electoral process firsthand,” noted Susan Adams, New Hampshire Public Television’s manager of educational services. “Research shows that students who participate in voting simulations are more likely to vote when they are of age. The mock election shows them how much their votes matter.”

Students from across the state prepared for this historic mock election by researching candidates and learning more about the issues facing our state and the country. New Hampshire Public Television’s general mock election began in 1996.

Clinton, Sununu win with fourth graders

According to Jim Rivers from the Speaker of the House's Office, each year, as part of their curriculum, fourth grade students from around New Hampshire come to the state capital for a tour of the Statehouse. During the campaign season, following their tour, they are given the opportunity to take part in the general election.

Nearly 1,700 ballots were cast between Oct. 6 and Nov. 7, 2016, and when the votes were tablulated today by Virginia Drew, the director of the State House Visitor Center, Hillary Clinton and Chris Sununu were the clear winners.

In the election for president, Clinton garnered 60 percent of the vote with 40 percent going to businessman Donald Trump. In a battle of the executive councilors in the gubernatorial race, Sununu collected 60 percent of the fourth grade vote with 40 percent going to Colin Van Ostern.

More than 30 schools from Bartlett in the north to Nashua in the south took part in the project.