New Mexico’s Student Mock Election
Results Are In: Kerry Wins by 149 votes

(Santa Fe, NM)— The New Mexico Public Education Department, and the Secretary of State’s Office are teamed up in the schools to hold a mock election on Thursday, October 28th, 2004. This is the first National Student/Parent Mock Election held in New Mexico although the organization that organizes these elections, which is headquartered in New Jersey, has been facilitating mock elections in other states for over twenty years. The purpose of the Mock Election is to educate young voters and turn the sense of powerlessness that keeps young voters away from the polls into a feeling of ownership which will lead to greater participation once these students become eligible to vote. The organizers also hope the mock election will stimulate greater parental voter participation.

Valerie Vigil from the Secretary of State’s Office reported that 81 out of 104 registered schools have reported to her as of today, November 1st, 2004 with the following results:

Bush 6,127
Kerry 6,276
Badnarik 60
Cobb 54
Nader 271
Peroutka 39

For more information please contact Valerie Vigil at the Secretary of State’s Office at
476-0353. (or valerie.vigil@state.nm.us)