Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office announced the 2020 Student Mock Election is now open. According to a press release, the goal of the event is allowing students a voice in the upcoming election while learning about the electoral process.
“The Student Mock Election gives students a hands-on opportunity to learn about how we, as Tennesseans, select our elected officials,” Hargett said in a statement. "We hope this experience will show them the importance of civic engagement and prepare them to be the future voters and leaders of our great state.”
Any Tennessee student in Pre-K through 12th grade from a public, private or home school association may participate.
The Secretary of State’s office will provide printable mock ballots for students to cast votes in the Presidential and U.S. Senate races. Schools will also receive, “I Voted” stickers and a, “Student Mock Election I Voted” sign for use on social media.
The state also offers free lesson plans and resources to help teachers incorporate civic engagement and citizenship into their curriculum leading up to the Student Mock Election.
The Student Mock Election will close on Oct. 27, a week before the Nov. 3 Election Day.
The Secretary of State’s office first introduced the Student Mock Election during the 2016 presidential election. More than 165,000 students across the state reportedly participated in the 2016 mock election.
