Obama Wins Scholastic News Election Poll Almost 250,000 (a quarter of a million) kids voted by paper ballot or online 
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Election 2008: Obama Wins Scholastic News Election Poll | Scholastic.com
Seventh graders at Transfiguration School in New York City vote on October 10, 2008.
It's official. At least for the kids! The Scholastic Presidential Election Poll results are in: Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama won with 57 percent of the vote, to 39 percent for Republican nominee Senator John McCain.
The poll was open to kids from grades 1 to 12 in Scholastic News and Junior Scholastic magazines. Almost 250,000 (a quarter of a million) kids voted by paper ballot or online at Scholastic news. The poll closed on October 10.
Since 1940, the results of the student vote have mirrored the outcome of the general election all but twice: In 1948, kids voted for Thomas E. Dewey over Harry S. Truman. In 1960, more students voted for Richard M. Nixon than for John F. Kennedy. In 2000, a majority of student voters chose George W. Bush, mirroring the Electoral College result, but not the result of the popular vote.
Obama and McCain weren't the only vote getters. Four percent of the students voted for other people like comedian Stephen Colbert, and entertainers Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers. It was the highest percent of write-in votes in the history of the poll. Some even voted for themselves. Most of the write-in votes —11 percent of the 4 percent—were for Senator Hillary Clinton.
So why is a kid poll important? And does it mean anything come November 4? Kid Reporter Lya Ferreyra knows.
"Not only does [voting in the] poll give kids the experience they will need to vote in the future, but it allows them to have input on who should be the next President of the United States," she said. "It gives kids a voice, which is important, but we won't know the actual outcome until November 4. No one can predict that."
Ferreyra and this reporter both appeared on numerous news programs this week to announce the poll results.
Results from key swing states are as follows:
Colorado:
McCain 61% Obama 36%Other 3%
Florida:McCain 41%
Obama 55%Other 4%
Indiana:
McCain 51% Obama 47%Other 2%
Iowa:McCain 48%
Obama 49%Other 3%
Michigan:McCain 40%
Obama 57%Other 3%
Missouri:
McCain 49% Obama 47%Other 4%
Ohio:McCain 47%
Obama 51%Other 2%
Pennsylvania:McCain 46%
Obama 50%Other 4%
Be sure to follow Election Night results with the Kid Reporters on Scholastic News Online throughout the evening of November 4.
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