Scholastic News® Student Vote Results Are in: Hillary Clinton Picked to Win 2016 Presidential Election
Since 1940, the Outcome of the K–12 Scholastic News Student Vote Has Mirrored the Outcome of
Every Presidential Election, Except Two
New York, NY — October 18, 2016 — Approximately 153,000 students across the country in grades K–12 cast their ballots in the 2016 Scholastic News® Student Vote and the results are in: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been named the winner, with 52% of the student vote while Republican candidate Donald Trump received 35%. Thirteen percent of student voters wrote in “other” choices, a larger percentage than in past presidential elections. Write-in votes were cast for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson (2%), Senator Bernie Sanders (1%), and Green Party candidate Jill Stein (1%), along with “Mom,” Kanye West, Harambe the gorilla, Spider-Man and “bacon.”
Votes in the 2016 Scholastic News Student Vote were cast by students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. To see the full results, visit: www.scholastic.com/vote.
Since 1940, the outcome of the Scholastic News Student Vote has mirrored the results of every presidential election, except two: Thomas E. Dewey vs. Harry S. Truman in 1948; and John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon in 1960.
Students who voted for Hillary Clinton explained:
- “I voted for Hillary because she will be the first woman president. Hillary is showing all women young or old you can do anything.” 6th grade student, Arizona
- “Hillary will make good decisions and do good things for America. She has the experience.” 4th grade student, New York
Students who voted for Donald Trump stated:
- “I would choose Trump because he would be good for business.” 5th grade student, Georgia
- “I voted for Donald Trump because he says that he will make America great again.” 6th grade student, Arizona
Scholastic News Student Vote results from key battleground states are as follows:
- Colorado: Clinton 59% Trump 28% Other 14%
- Florida: Clinton 48% Trump 39% Other 13%
- Iowa: Clinton 41% Trump 42% Other 17%
- Michigan: Clinton 49% Trump 36% Other 15%
- Nevada: Clinton 59% Trump 28% Other 13%
- New Hampshire: Clinton 50% Trump 31% Other 18%
- North Carolina: Clinton 49% Trump 40% Other 11%
- Ohio: Clinton 43% Trump 42% Other 15%
- Pennsylvania: Clinton 48% Trump 41% Other 10%
- Virginia: Clinton 50% Trump 37% Other 13%
- Wisconsin: Clinton 46% Trump 40% Other 14%
“In this unprecedented and contentious presidential race, students have made their voices heard by casting their votes in our mock election for president,” said Elliott Rebhun, Editor-in-Chief of Scholastic Classroom Magazines. “The Scholastic News Student Vote is the culmination of a year of coverage in our classroom magazines and Scholastic News online, bringing the election to classrooms nationwide to inform students about the electoral process and the positions taken by the candidates on complex issues—from immigration and the economy to the environment. Our job at Scholastic is to support teachers with age-appropriate content that not only engages students and teaches them about the democratic process, but also helps them think critically about the issues.”
Methodology, In Brief
Students in grades K–12 voted in the Scholastic News Student Vote through mail-in paper ballots found in Scholastic Classroom Magazines, including Scholastic News and Junior Scholastic® from August–October 5, 2016, and online at the Scholastic News Election 2016 website through October 12, 2016. The Scholastic News Student Vote is not based on a scientifically-designed sample of the student population. It is an educational activity to encourage student thought and debate, and to give students an opportunity to express their opinions about the 2016 presidential election. The respondents are self-selected, based on teachers who want their classes to participate and students who want to participate individually.
For ongoing coverage of the presidential election through Inauguration Day, students can visit the Scholastic News Election 2016 website for age-appropriate news and information about the electoral process, including original reports from the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps, the country’s oldest and largest national student reporting program.
For more information about Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children’s publishing, education and media company, visit the Company’s media room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.
