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South Dakota students 'elect' Obama, 'approve' abortion ban

By Journal staff | Thursday, November 06, 2008

Students mirrored only some of their parents' choices in the Kids Voting South Dakota mock election program, re-electing Tim Johnson and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin to Congress but choosing Barack Obama for president.

With 55 of 77 school districts reporting Tuesday evening, 53.1 chose Obama, and 43.5 preferred John McCain. The students also went against adult voters in the state in their support for Measure 11, which would ban most abortions, with 53 percent of student voters favoring the ban.

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The program teaches civics and government to school children throughout the state.

"Not only do they learn that this is their right but also their responsibility," said DeVee Dietz, director of civic education programs for the Chiesman Center For Democracy, which organizes the program.

"It's not just casting a ballot, but it's being a civic participant, and that's year-round," Dietz said.

The program began in 1992 with 5,000 students in Aberdeen and has expanded to include 80,000 students statewide.

Rapid City area students elected Obama in a vote of 3,595 to 3,377; but unlike the statewide results, city students voted against Measure 11, 869 no votes to 751 yes.

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