STUDENTS EYE OCT. 1 BALLOT

JACKSON -- Jessica Edwards wasn't as concerned about how her classmates would cast a ballot as she was about being able to cast her own vote in an upcoming school election at Jackson Middle School.

Edwards' only question during a visit by Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller was, "Do we get to vote?"

About 600 student at the middle school will vote for school president and vice president on Oct. 1. Twelve students who will serve as election judges, including Edwards, a sixth-grader, were trained by the clerk Thursday.

Every student will get a chance to vote in the school election for president and vice president, Miller said, including the election judges.

During slower periods, the election judges are given an hour break to cast their ballots, but most often they vote by absentee ballots, he said.

From the time the polls open at the school next week, the election judges will be in control of the project.

The students will have to assemble the voting booths, organize the voter registration lists, pass out ballots and count the number of ballots used before the election results can be tabulated.

They also must verify the ballot count before any equipment is returned to the county clerk. All of the paperwork assures that there is a fair and accurate election, he said.

When all votes are cast, it should take under a minute for the counting machines to read all 600 cards, he said.

Students will be at the county administrative building when the machine counts the votes.

"It teaches the voting process," said Marsha Miller, Student Council sponsor.

Organizers hope the project will encourage the students to vote when they turn 18.

Since it is an election year, it seemed appropriate for the county clerk to explain the election process, Marsha Miller said.

Rodney Miller said he hopes the project will encourage students' parents to get out and vote in the November general election.

Eight seventh-graders are stumping for the presidential seat, candidates and 10 sixth-graders are competing to become vice president.