Teacher Toby Paone and Diocesan Superintendent Lynne Devaney count mock ballots in the Prince of Peace Catholic School cafeteria on Election Day, Nov. 5.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
CLINTON — Diocesan Superintendent Lynne Devaney and Prince of Peace Catholic School teacher Toby Paone counted mock ballots in the middle of a bustling cafeteria on Election Day. “Part of my job as a teacher is to train students how to be good citizens and that includes knowing how to vote and what’s at stake,” said Paone, high school history/social studies teacher.
Paone designed the mock ballots and handed them to Prince of Peace high school students Oct. 15 along with a double-blind envelope. “That’s the same day ballots for early voting in Iowa were sent out to anyone who requested one,” he explained. The students had until 11 a.m. on Nov. 5 to cast their vote for president.
Devaney said her involvement in the mock election was a spur-of-the-moment decision. “I was just doing a monthly principal visit and I think I was in the right place at the right time.” Paone said he appreciated her willingness to jump right in.
Paone felt it was important to count the votes in the presence of students. “I wanted to show them that their vote is actually going to get counted and that their voice, as a student, is going to be heard.” Forty-seven high school students turned in ballots.
Donald Trump won the mock election with 57% of the vote. “That’s not far off from what the (official) Iowa vote was,” Paone said. Trump won the state of Iowa with 56% percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press.
Paone announced the winner during classes that afternoon. “It ended up being a whole lot of fun,” he said. “I think it was a really good learning opportunity for everyone.”
