Current Issues
Issue questions are included in the mock election to familiarize students with the idea that as adults they will vote on public questions as well as candidates. We will continue to offer links to the issues from recent mock elections for teachers who may be looking for sample issue questions for the current class of students. The information regarding ranked-preference voting in primaries is included to facilitate class discussions on possible means to address the current partisan environment. Since voting is an essential civic responsibility, we have included information regarding voting procedures in New Jersey so that students can participate in the actual election by encouraging parents and other adults to cast their vote in a safe manner of their choosing. It is also hoped that high school students eligible to vote will embrace this important civic responsibility. Please note that some older students are eligible to serve as poll workers.
Ranked Preference Primaries
Ranked Voting
In the 2020 February primary mock election, students submitted online ballots using ranked preference voting. Most elections in the United States employ a “winner takes all” system of voting where voters choose one candidate on the ballot. This often works to the detriment of third-party candidates or those candidates trailing the front-runner, as voters decide to vote for the candidate with the perceived best chance of winning, rather than the candidate who best represents their positions and beliefs. In an age of political polarization, a system of ranked voting has been suggested as a means to allow more moderate candidates to have a greater chance of success.
- Ranked Choice Voting – National Conference of State Legislatures (with links to additional resources)
- Ranked Choice Voting, Pros and Cons – Ballotpedia.org
- “Ranking Candidates Is More Accurate Than Voting” – Scientific American
- “Ranked Choice Voting And The Quest To Save Democracy In The U.S.” – Quartz.com