MOLINE, Ill. — A Moline school has taken a sugary spin to the 2024 election.
Students at Logan Elementary School went to the polls on Monday, Nov. 4 to cast their ballot in a candy election. School teachers and administrators said the mock race has been a great experience teaching students about the civic process.
"This activity, this whole event has really driven a lot of great conversation for our kids," Logan Elementary School Principal Tom Ferguson said. "It’s driving conversation on the playgrounds and in the cafeteria."
After narrowing down candidates through the primary elections process, students voiced their vote for Kit Kats or Sour Patch Kids, the leading candidates for the chocolate and fruity parties.
"We've talked about being out in the community, that you'll see a lot of these polling places. We're really trying to use a lot of that vocabulary of campaign, polling center, voting, registration," first grade teacher Amanda McDermott, who came up with the creative campaign, said.
Ferguson said Halloween trick-or-treating provided extra relevance to the election. "While everyone's bags are filling with candy, they're also thinking about those different qualities and what reasons the different candies should win," he said.
The tight race gave students the chance to formulate their opinions and build persuasive arguments. The children created posters for their preferred candidate and older students shared campaign speeches.
"I'm supporting Sour Patch Kids”," Fifth-grade student Annabel Mandle said. “They're better to go in the car and they're less messy so your mom won't get mad if you spill it on the seat."
The school had supporters on both sides of the candy aisle.
"I support Kit Kats ... because it's crunchy and they have a wafer in the middle," fifth-grade student Sienna Rodriguez said.
Some older students were selected by teachers to work as poll workers, helping guide their classmates and younger students through the voting process
"I've actually convinced them to vote for Sour Patch Kids," fifth grader Elsa Deras said. She shared the exercise her more confident approaching her peers with differing opinions. "It's definitely easier to convince people you know ... you can persuade them."
The election included numerous real-life elements including "I Voted" stickers and voter registration cards.
Similar to the close presidential predictions this September, Sour Patch Kids edged out its chocolate contender. The fruity treat won the tight race by five votes.
"It's really interesting to hear them talk to each other ... there's a lot of things that I think will be applicable to them as they get to that voting age," McDermott said.