Biden trounces Trump in state’s mock student election

Reflecting the challenges of organizing and engaging students online, the number of students participating in this year’s California Student Mock Election dropped precipitously from four years ago, according to figures release by the California Secretary of State’s Office.

But the outcome is the same: Middle and high school students lean Democratic and don’t like President Donald Trump any more than, according to polls, their parents do. Democratic candidate Joe Biden defeated him 68% to 18%, with a victory margin exceeding Hillary Clinton’s 58% to 20% win in 2016; in that election, more students than this year voted for Libertarian and Green Party candidates, accounting for the difference.

This year, students in 181 middle and high schools cast 43,294 ballots from home — about a third of the number of schools and 21% of the ballots cast four years ago, when voting was done in-person, with rallies and civic events in schools preceding voting. Election Day this year was Oct. 6.

The students also cast ballots for initiatives. A majority backed every one, and gave overwhelming support for Prop. 14 (the bond for stem cell research that they will be paying back, with interest, well into adulthood), Prop. 15 (a significant commercial property tax increase), Prop 16 (allowing affirmative action for college admissions) and, not surprisingly, Prop. 18 ( permitting 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they’ll be 18 by the general election).