What is a Mock Election?
Illinois Student Vote, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Illinois Education Fund and working in cooperation with the National Student/Parent Mock Election, offers teachers, students, and parents the opportunity to participate fully in the political process.

Participating schools and classes will undertake activities to study the candidates and issues of the 2006 election.  They will then be able to make informed decisions as they vote for candidates in a simulated election.  Individual class and school vote totals will be reported to the Illinois Student Vote headquarters where they will be tallied with returns from across the state and reported to the National Student/Parent Mock Election headquarters.

A Valuable Teaching Tool
Illinois Student Vote is a valuable teaching tool which has been designed to increase awareness and understanding of the election process, to encourage students and their parents to get involved in the process, and ultimately, to create a generation of voting adults.

Who Can Participate?
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade (and their parents) are eligible to participate and vote in the Mock Election.  Curriculum outlines and activities will be available after registration at no cost from this website.  Those requiring hard-copy materials will pay $10 to cover expenses.

Why You and Your Students Should Participate
Participating in Illinois Student Vote benefits the whole community by building responsible, contributing, and knowledgeable citizens.  Activities which are designed to inform and excite students about voting help them understand the need for citizen involvement in a democratic nation. Active participation in a Mock Election establishes a habit that will last a lifetime.

Educate the Leaders of Tomorrow
Students who become involved with the election process early will gain an awareness that their actions count.  We must always remember that the students of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.

All participating teachers will receive curriculum plans to help them:

• Create a classroom political forum;
• Debate current events;
• Integrate government with reading and math;
• Develop critical thinking skills;
• Promote political discussion between students and parents.

What You Need to Do to Register Your School

1. If you want more information about the program before you register please view our Curriculum Outlines.
2. If you're convinced that you want to participate in the program then click here to Register Your school.