GOP WIN BIG IN SCHOOL'S MOCK VOTE

Good news for presidential hopeful Bob Dole. Students at Notre Dame High School say he should be president by a four-to-one margin.

The mock election, held Wednesday at the Catholic high school in Cape Girardeau, brought a near sweep for Republican candidates. Students voted for president, top state races and the 8th District congressional race.

Republicans won every race with the exception of Missouri governor. Democrat Mel Carnahan squeaked by Margaret Kelley, 147 votes to 131.

Dole received 211 votes and Clinton got just 47. With 15 votes, Ross Perot collected less support than Libertarian candidate Harry Browne, who got 16.

Jason Peters, a freshman, wore his Dole button for election day and predicted the Dole sweep.

"I have my Dole/Kemp shirt and I `accidentally' wore it yesterday," he said. "I think Dole will win."

Peters also appreciated the social studies lesson designed to show students how the voting process works.

"Lots of kids who are old enough to vote don't show up to the polls," he said. "They think it's not important. But it is. You will have a say in what happens in our government."

Matt Howard, a junior, served as an election judge. His job was to hand out lollipops to those students who voted and wore red, white and blue clothing. He also advised voters to place their ballots into the appropriate boxes.

"We didn't want to pay them for voting," he said. "That wouldn't be right."

Doug Bruce, chairman of the social studies department, organized the election. Often high school mock elections are done by passing out ballots in class. He thought students might better understand and appreciate the process more if it was done realistically.

With help from Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller, Bruce got actual voting booths, ballot boxes and "I voted" stickers.

Students had to be registered voters, proven by showing student IDs. In line students were advising each other about how to find Jo Ann Emerson's name under the independent party.

"There has been a lot of informal campaigning," Bruce said. The cafeteria and hallways are covered with campaign signs.

Bruce decided to make the exercise a lesson in the electoral college as well. The school has 13 home rooms. Each was assigned the state of one of the original 13 colonies and their respective electoral college votes. "Students from Rhode Island weren't too happy. Those from New York and Pennsylvania felt very powerful," he said.

Dole won every state with exception of New York. So Dole received 147 votes in the school's electoral college and Clinton got 33.

Alexandra Kohlfeld, a junior, was from the home room state of Rhode Island. "We have four electoral votes," she said. Although the state might not have a lot of power in the electoral college, Kohlfeld said it was important to vote. "Just do it. You'll make a difference," she said.

Kohlfeld supported Dole, partly because her parents support Dole and partly because she agrees with his pro-life stand.

Niki Mier, a junior, said, "Everybody in this school has such different opinions, I can't predict who will win. But I voted for Dole. I was kind of iffy on that because he talked about cutting funding to the department of education. But Clinton hasn't gotten much done and he has had a chance."

Nick Spantgos, a junior, was in the minority but said Clinton's experience was the reason he picked the president for another term.

"He might go against my moral opinion on abortion, but I think he will be a better president than Bob Dole or Perot."

Voter turnout at the school's election was nearly 90 percent.

"That is so far above the national average, we considered the whole thing a huge success," Bruce said.

"The main purpose was to approach this in a very serious manner," Bruce said. "In four years, or less, these students are going to be doing this for real."