Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

National student leaders split vote between Bush, Kerry

Student councils association meets in LV

Student leaders from across the nation cast their ballots during a mock presidential election Tuesday at Silverado High School. The event was one of several during the National Association of Student Councils' conference in Las Vegas. Photo by John Gurzinski.

A girl from Kansas came out for John Kerry.

A Rhode Island boy stood firm in backing President Bush.

None of them is old enough to vote. But a sampling of student leaders in Las Vegas for a national convention showed their opinions about this year's presidential election are being shaped by three issues: the war in Iraq, education reform and the economy.

"I think what happens is going to depend on where we stand October-wise," said 16-year-old South Carolina resident Joe Semsar, who supports Kerry in a region most polls show to be Bush country.

"I consider myself to be an independent," said Semsar, student body president of Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C. "I don't think people should vote for someone because they're a Democrat or a Republican. I don't think that's the most effective way to choose someone."

The teenagers got the chance to express their opinions Tuesday, when the National Association of Student Councils staged a mock presidential election at Silverado High School.

The 1,500 attendees divided themselves along state lines and cast votes as individuals. Each group's electoral votes went to the candidate who received the majority of the popular vote from each state delegation. Washington D.C. was not represented.

The unofficial results put Bush in the shoes of Al Gore, his opponent in 2000: The mock election showed the president winning on popular votes and losing on electoral votes. Early counts awarded Bush 780 votes, with 683 going to Kerry. But Kerry scored 291 electoral votes to Bush's 229. Georgia's student delegates were split 50-50, so conference organizers scheduled a second vote late Tuesday.

Nevada's status as a battleground state was reflected in the divided opinion of local students who took part in the mock election.

Galena High School Senior Class Senator Tony Walsh threw his support to Kerry, while Eldorado senior and Student Body Treasurer Tamara Martinezjunco tapped Bush. Early results showed that 65 percent of Nevada student leaders voted for Bush, 35 percent for Kerry.

"Both my parents are retired Air Force, and Bush is a strong supporter of the military," Martinezjunco said. "I voted for Bush because he deserves the time. I think we need to let the president finish what he started four years ago."

Walsh's opinion couldn't have been more different. He criticized Bush for the passage of the Patriot Act, which he said infringes too much on individual liberties. He said the goals of Bush's education reform act, No Child Left Behind, are unrealistic. He also disagreed with Bush's decision to invade Iraq.

"My views are pretty liberal," said Walsh, 17, a senior class senator. "My vote was for anybody but Bush."

This is the first time the National Association of Student Councils has met in Las Vegas. Silverado students and staff hosted the convention, which ends today.

Kerry may be counting on Rhode Island to swing his way, but Coventry High School Student Body President Teddy Tracy isn't planning to jump on that bandwagon. The allegation that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction was overstated by the Bush administration, Tracy said, but he thinks the war in Iraq was justified.

"I think that the majority of the results have been good," Tracy said. "They're making a previous dictatorship a democratic country."

The No Child Left Behind Act, which calls for all public school students to demonstrate proficiency in basic skills by 2013, was one topic about which both supporters and opponents of Bush expressed doubts. Martinezjunco said achievement is something that can't be forced, a student has to want it.

On that point, Walsh agreed.