Political party candidates (L-R) Reuben Aston, Stephanie Lewis, Scarlett McIlwraith, Tom Owen and Oscar Dunn.
Political party candidates (L-R) Reuben Aston, Stephanie Lewis, Scarlett McIlwraith, Tom Owen and Oscar Dunn

The voters of tomorrow, at Harrogate Grammar School, hold mock election

12 June 2017

Students from Year 7 to Year 10 at Harrogate Grammar School have been involved in recent weeks in organising a mock election to coincide with the national General Election. Students formed political parties, signed the electoral register and took their polling cards with them to vote on Wednesday 7 June 2017.

Before this, they had watched party political broadcasts produced by student-led political parties in order to inform them on the parties for which they could vote. The Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and UKIP stood in the Harrogate Grammar School mock election.

Turnout for the election was high, with 892 students casting a vote and a number of spoilt ballot papers. The mock election saw victory for the Green Party, who polled 24% of the overall vote, closely followed by UKIP who received 20% of the vote.

  1. Green Party – 219 votes – 24.5% of the vote
  2. UKIP – 185 votes – 20.7% of the vote
  3. Liberal Democrats – 167 votes – 18.7% of the vote
  4. Conservatives – 166 votes – 18.6% of the vote
  5. Labour – 155 votes – 17.3% of the vote

 

A student casts their vote
A student casts their vote

 

Miss Hooper, who organised the mock election said: It is so important for students of all ages to feel engaged with politics, even if it might be a few years before they are allowed to vote. Hopefully there will be many more political conversations around the dinner table of Harrogate Grammar School families!

 

Year 8 vote counters in action.
Year 8 vote counters in action

 

 

Voters descend on the polling station.
Voters descend on the polling station

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