(IVAL LAWHON JR./St. Joseph) News-Press
Students get civics lesson
By DANIELLE ZIELINSKI
Twelve-year-old Ethan Olson isn�t quite old enough to vote in today�s presidential election. But the sixth-grader at Children First School already knows more about the process than some adults.
�I know about electoral votes,� he said. �California has the most.�
On Monday, Ethan and six of his classmates visited the Buchanan County Courthouse for a firsthand look at how ballots are counted. They were joined by Buchanan County Clerk Pat Conway and election officials from the Democratic and Republican parties, who were doing a final check of the county�s vote-counting machines before today�s election.
�Do you know what tomorrow is?� Mr. Conway asked the group.
�Election Day!� they shouted in unison.
�I�m going to get up at 4:30 (a.m.) � What time are you going to get up?�
Mr. Conway demonstrated the county�s optical-scan machine, which counts votes by bouncing light off of paper ballots, and �reading� any lead marks.
The students were allowed to fill out sample ballots, and they crowded excitedly around the machine as it clicked away and tallied their votes.
�If there�s a mark on one of the ovals � the machine knows through the computer chip that that individual will get a vote,� Mr. Conway explained.
The courthouse visit was a treat for the students, who have been learning about elections in their classes. They each did a report on a U.S. president and read a book about a 12-year-old who runs for president.
�He wins, but he resigns,� Ethan said. �You have to read the sequel to find out what happens.�
All the students said they are excited to vote when they are old enough, and some even harbor early political aspirations.
�I want to run for president,� said fourth-grader Olivia Conant.
Saint Joseph, Missouri