DuPage teens back Clinton in mock election

If the political leanings of high school students are an indication of how their parents will vote on Nov. 8, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will be the top vote-getter in DuPage County.

During mock elections held last week at 19 DuPage high schools, 46.5 percent of the students who participated voted for Clinton. Republican Donald Trump received about 33 percent of the more than 19,300 votes cast.

Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party received about 11 percent of the vote, and Jill Stein of the Green Party received about 5 percent.

The League of Women Voters, which partnered with the DuPage Election Commission to provide the civics learning experience, said the results included a high number of write-in votes - about 4.5 percent.

"We're pretty sure there were more write-ballots this time than there ever had been before," said Missey Wilhelm, who served as the mock election coordinator. Previous mock elections were held at DuPage high schools in 2008 and 2012.

Wilhelm said she believes more students cast write-in votes because of the bitter nature of this year's presidential campaign. Young people jotted down the names of their parents, teachers, celebrities and even politicians.

"One kid wrote 'Someone reasonable' in the write-in box," Wilhelm said.

In addition to voting for president, the students picked candidates for the U.S. Senate and House districts where their schools are located.

Congressional candidates who got the most votes are: Rep. Mike Quigley in the 5th Congressional District, Rep. Peter Roskam in the 6th Congressional District, Schaumburg Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi in the 8th Congressional District, and Rep. Bill Foster in the 11th Congressional District.

The young people also picked Hoffman Estates Democrat Tammy Duckworth to replace U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk.

While the results aren't real, the mock election gave students the chance to use real voting machines, ballots and vote tabulators.

Using grant money from the McCormick Foundation, the League of Women Voters of Illinois paid to print the ballots. Meanwhile, the election commission delivered voting equipment to the schools, including booths, a ballot box and optical scanner.

At Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream, 1,783 students cast paper ballots that closely replicate what real-life voters use.

"This was a huge undertaking and a community connection," said Erica Bray-Parker, a social studies teacher and sponsor of the school's civics club.

Why does authenticity matter? Young people are less likely to vote, and one reason may stem from an unfamiliarity with the process.

Glenbard North also hosts two voter registration drives during the school year - 19 signed up Oct. 6 - and encourages juniors and seniors in good academic standing to become DuPage County election judges. Thirty-five students applied for the program and hope to get placed at polling places in November after online training.

"This is an essential skill to learn and understand," Bray-Parker said.