By Chelsey Ledue
Bangor Daily News

Friday, November 03, 2006

BANGOR - Gov. John Baldacci topped a mock election by students from around the state with 38.9 percent of the vote, while his Republican challenger, Chandler Woodcock, garnered 27.5 percent. Independent Barbara Merrill racked up 14.2 percent, while Patricia LaMarche, Green Independent, netted 13 percent, and Phillip Morris NaPier, Tax Equality Rebellion, got 6.1 percent. While most voters never get a chance to meet the candidates on the ballot for public office, pupils from around the state who gathered at Eastern Maine Community College on Thursday night to tally results from a mock election had a chance to meet many of the gubernatorial, senatorial and congressional candidates running in this year’s election.

Some 30,000 to 40,000 youths in about 200 schools cast ballots Thursday, according to Deputy Secretary of State Doug Dunbar, the coordinator for the vote-tallying event in Bangor.

“People need to understand that this isn’t a poll or an indication of what is to come, this is a civic activity that teachers have been able to include in their curriculum,” Dunbar said. “But ultimately, the education goes on in the classroom.”

Five eighth-graders and a seventh-grader from Greenville Middle School voiced their opinion on TABOR (the Taxpayer Bill of Rights) during the celebration as part of an assignment.

“It was a contest for our class,” said Devin Ward, a seventh-grader at Greenville Middle School. “The six of us were chosen according to the top grades on our speeches.”

Candidates also made short speeches. Most of the children present were between the ages of 9 and 11.

“I was really into it. I tried not to rush when I was voting, and I tried to think of what the questions really meant,” said one fifth-grader from Hermon Middle school who helped answer the cell phones at the tabulation table. “Now I’m just hoping someone will call before the boys take over the phones.”

All of the participating schools around the state were invited to attend the celebration in Bangor and an identical one in Augusta.

The schools that attended the event in Bangor included: Glenburn Elementary, Greenville Middle/High School, Hermon Middle School, Forest Hills Consolidated School, Jonesport-Beals High School, Machias Valley Christian School, Orono Middle School, Bangor High School, and John Bapst Memorial High School.

“This is an activity that teaches about the civic functions, but students most identify with elections,” Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said. “We’re hoping that the information that the students learn here will carry over into adulthood.”

As of Thursday night the results of the mock election were:

Governor: John Baldacci, Democrat, led with 38.9 percent of the vote; Chandler Woodcock, Republican, 27.5 percent; Barbara Merrill, independent, 14.2 percent; Patricia LaMarche, Green Independent, 13.0 percent; Phillip Morris NaPier, Tax Equality Rebellion, 6.1 percent; Other, 0.4 percent.

U.S. Senator: Olympia J. Snowe, Republican, led with 70.8 percent; William H. Slavick, independent, 16.2 percent; Jean M. Hay Bright, Democrat, 12.5 percent; other, 0.5 percent.

U.S. Representative: District 1: Thomas H. Allen, Democrat, led with 53.6 percent; Darlene J. Curley, Republican, received 27.6 percent; Dexter J. Kamilewicz, independent, 18.0 percent; other, 0.8 percent.

District 2: Michael H. Michaud, Democrat, led with 67.1 percent; Laurence S. D’Amboise, Republican, received 32.4 percent; other, .5 percent.

Question 1: Citizen Initiative (Taxpayer Bill of Rights): No, 59.3 percent; Yes 40.7 percent.

Question 2: Constitutional Amendment (Petition Deadline): No 51.4 percent; Yes, 48.6 percent.

For updates on the election results or for more information, visit www.maine.gov/mockelection.