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2008 Youth Election Seminar
by Kevin Behne
May 17, 2008
Twenty-two Prague High seniors, juniors and sophomores attended the Youth Election Seminar on April 10, 2008 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead. Saunders County Clerk Patti Lindgren and her staff sponsored the seminar. Approximately 240 students from the county schools attended the seminar. John Gale, Nebraska secretary of state, and Neal Erickson, deputy secretary of state/director of elections, were guest speakers and gave students an overview of the election process. Eligible students were registered to vote in the primary election and the clerk’s staff demonstrated the new AutoMARK voting machine. Each machine costs between $4,000 to $5,000 and will be used to meet the requirements of the Help America Vote Act. Once all the students were familiar with the election process, a mock election was held. Students used the AutoMark voting machine in the mock election, voting for favorite automobile (Ford), vocal artist (Elvis), ice cream (chocolate), and voted overwhelmingly for a three-day weekend. The students also voted in a mock presidential election with the remaining presidential candidates. Barak Obama received 104 votes, John McCain received 81 votes and Hilary Clinton finished third with six votes.
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