Oakland County, Michigan, October 16, 2008 -- Thanks to Ruth Johnson's award-winning Project VOTE program, more than 1,200 Birmingham Seaholm High School students will be able to "vote" for president on recycled voting machines.

The mock election is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 20, 2008. Students in grades nine through 12 will cast their ballots in the presidential race, congressional races and on Michigan's ballot proposals. Johnson, the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds, will be on hand at the school from 11 a.m. through noon as students vote on their lunch hours.

 "This is a hands-on lesson in democracy for young people," said Ruth Johnson, who initiated the program with the assistance of local city and township clerks. "They learn that their vote can make a difference, that their voice will be heard."

Seaholm High School government teacher Ben Harwood said mock elections are important because voting is a learned behavior.

"If you don't learn how to become a part of the political process, there's a good chance you'll end up on the sidelines, either apathetic or wondering what just happened," Harwood said. "In 2004, roughly 40 percent of 18-24 year olds voted in the presidential election. So the real goal is to motivate students - in all grades - to start thinking about how they can get involved, regardless of ideology."

Created in 2005, Johnson's Project VOTE (Voting Opportunities Through Education) saved hundreds of "gently used" voting machines that had been headed to local landfills after the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2004 required communities to use brand new machines as part of a standardized system.

Instead of being thrown out, the "perfectly good" optical scan voting machines were given to local schools for use in the classroom, Johnson said. Since Project VOTE began, machines once used to elect U.S. presidents have been used to elect student body presidents, homecoming queens and even used to democratically select school field day events.

Earlier this year, Project VOTE received a prestigious 2008 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACO), which recognizes successful, innovative county services.

Government teacher Harwood said he's curious to see the election's outcome among Seaholm students, given the candidates' current numbers in the polls.

"Election trends tell us that younger voters are more likely to vote Democratic and Obama has been polling big numbers in the 18-44 demographic," Harwood said. "However, there is no greater agent of political socialization than family. In other words, first time voters often - if not mostly - vote along the same ideological lines as their parents. So for a young electorate voting in a generally conservative area, I'm curious to see how the numbers pan out."

The media is welcome to attend the mock presidential election. Ruth Johnson will be on hand at the school, 2436 W. Lincoln in Birmingham, from 11 a.m. to noon as students as their ballots during their lunch hours. For more information, contact Johnson at (248) 858-0560 or Cheryl Shettel at Seaholm High at (248) 203-3725.