Rossi beats Murray in student mock election

Published 2:10 pm Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday’s final results for this year’s Washington State Mock Election show that students favored Republican Dino Rossi over Democratic incumbent Patty Murray in the closely watched race for U.S. Senate.

Rossi defeated Murray 52.84 percent to 47.16 percent in the mock election.

More than 15,400 K-12 student and homeschooled voters throughout Washington participated in the mock election, a strong turnout for a midterm election. The mock election, which began Monday and ended Friday at 1 p.m., has been hosted online by the Office of Secretary of State since 2004. The record for mock election turnout was set in 2008 when nearly 18,000 student votes were cast.

“I’m pleased that so many students took part in this year’s mock election,” said Secretary of State Sam Reed. “It’s a great way for kids to learn how our elections work, and it helps prepare them for that time when they’ll vote in real elections.”

Students also voted for their local Congressional candidates and the nine statewide ballot measures. Students in grades 6-12 rejected initiatives 1053, 1082, 1100 and 1105. Those measures that passed were Initiative 1098, which establishes a new income tax; Initiative 1107, repealing the tax on candy and soda; Referendum 52, which authorizes bonds for energy efficient projects in schools; Senate Joint Resolution 8225, placing a limit on state debt; and Engrossed Substitute House Joint Resolution 4220, which denies bail for people charged with certain criminal offenses.

This year, younger students were asked to consider three measures, initiatives A, B and C, which are simplified versions of Initiative 1107, Initiative 1098 and Referendum 52, respectively. Students passed Initiative 1107 (that is, they voted to repeal the candy tax) and Referendum 52. Unlike their older peers, students in grades K-5 rejected Initiative 1098.