Students get real-life voting experience

(New York - WABC, November 6, 2006) (WABC) -- We've heard that too many young people have little interest in politics.

Fewer than a third of those between the ages of 18 and 24 are expected to vote tomorrow, compared with most people 25 and over.

Education reporter Art McFarland took a look at one school's innovative effort to boost interest and participation in the political process.

"My experience led me in the right direction, which was running for the office of attorney general," Attorney General candidate "Jeannine Pirro" said.

Although you would not mistake this high school senior for the real Jeannine Pirro, Andrea Burciu has worked hard at assuming Pirro's identity.

"Actually, right now I respond more to her name than I do mine," Burciu said. "So people say, 'Jeannine', I just turn around and say, 'What? Yes, I'm here', you know?"

"I helped create housing for those homeless, I helped to clean up those poor neighborhoods, I helped to stop crime in anywhere that HUD was available," Attorney General candidate "Andrew Cuomo" said.

Andrew Schwartz says he has grown as a person, by "running" as Andrew Cuomo.

"You know, I was more of a kid that was kind of in a shell," Schwartz said. "And with this election simulation, I kind of came out of that shell."

Students at Townsend-Harris High School today followed a 10-year-old tradition of voting for their favorite candidates, in a simulated election, the day before grown-up's vote in the general election.

"With this election, I know what's going on, I know what's happening, I know if I can make a difference," student Cody Alongi said.

"Come election day, I know who I'm voting for and what their views are," student Diandra Torres said. "So it's very beneficial."

They vote for impersonators of all the major candidates in the actual elections, and they simulate the entire process, from personal campaigning, to television commercials, to political demonstrations.

They also hold debates, candidates receive so-called "sim bucks" from political contributors and there are election-inspired school newspaper articles.

"I am a Democrat, but I am voting for the Republicans because of their performance in the school," student Elena Gulotta said. "So I'm basing it on how they got their points across to me."

And of course, it is a hands-on civics lesson.

"We're prepared for the real world when we're 18 and we actually get the chance to vote and everything, and we get to learn about this," student Michelle Chan said. "It's a really great experience."

This is the tenth year of simulated elections at Townsend Harris High School. Educators there hope to commission a study on the voting patterns of their graduates during that time.

Preliminary research shows their grads are far more likely to vote than other young people, at least during their first two years of college.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•