New Bedford students vote for their favorite dogs and beaches in 'mock' election

Frank Mulligan, Standard-Times
Updated ·2 min read

NEW BEDFORD — Third graders from Saint Teresa of Calcutta School and fifth graders from Gomes Elementary School were able to take advantage of an unprecedented opportunity to "vote" Friday in a mock election.

Though only a mock election — where the ballot questions included what were the voters' favorite dogs and beaches — it was authentic in every physical detail.

It was the city's first such mock election, and it was engineered by Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito.

The poll workers were New Bedford High School students, who had previously worked traditional elections where you have to be 18 or older.

Gomes Elementary School fifth grader, Oliver Quintanilla, 11, casts his vote in a mock election organized by Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito at the downtown public library.
Gomes Elementary School fifth grader, Oliver Quintanilla, 11, casts his vote in a mock election organized by Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito at the downtown public library.

New Bedford High seniors Cynthia Torres and Abbigail Niland took the young voters' information, and handed out ballots.

New Bedford High junior Keyanna Jones helped them go to the voting booths and answered any questions on filling out their ballots.

And New Bedford High freshman Lana Jones helped them place their ballots in actual voting tabulation machines.

DeBrito said the idea is to "immerse" the kids in the election process.

Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito, right, explains the ballot for a mock election to Gomes School fifth grader, Edison Tino, 11, at the downtown public library.
Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito, right, explains the ballot for a mock election to Gomes School fifth grader, Edison Tino, 11, at the downtown public library.

He added, "And we're trying to keep contact from elementary, middle, high school and beyond where they're just immersed in elections and they start to feel they're a part of the process. So they know how important it is."

DeBrito said, "They're our future."

A Gomes School student collects his ballot for a mock election organized by Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito at the downtown public library.
A Gomes School student collects his ballot for a mock election organized by Election Commission Chairperson Manuel DeBrito at the downtown public library.

And while this sets the stage for the students' participation in future non-mock elections, there's also a short-term benefit.

The children will go home and share their voting experience with their parents, DeBrito said.

Maybe that will kindle or rekindle their interest in casting their votes on traditional election days.

"We're trying to change the culture," DeBrito said. "We want to change the minds of everyone who says my vote doesn't count."

In an informal Standard-Times exit poll, third graders Ariella and Olivia were asked if they enjoyed voting.

"Yes," they replied in chorus.

And will they vote when they get older?

"Yes."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that the city did not in fact change the voting age to 8 as stated humorously in a previous headline and first paragraph. The legal voting age remains at 18 in New Bedford.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford students vote for their favorite dogs and beaches