Bush wins -- at Conway High School-East

By David Bennett

George W. Bush won a presidential election Monday. Of course, voters enrolled at Conway High School-East don't count -- yet.

According to 9th-grade American government instructor William Richardson, 964 students voted Thursday, Friday and Monday in the school's mock election.

Of those students, 460 voted for Bush, 368 for Al Gore, 48 for Ralph Nader, 46 for Pat Buchanan, 26 for John Hagelin, 11 for Harry Browne, and 5 for Howard Phillips.

Richardson said voting took place during the school's American government and history classes. The school used old voting machines donated by the Faulkner County government for the project.

Before the election was held, Richardson said the students studied the candidates along with their stances on issues like Social Security, gun control, drugs, environmental protection and other matters.

"We discussed the issues with them in the classes," Richardson said. "They were pretty well versed. They knew why they were voting for them."

The election also covered the races for Congress, the Arkansas Legislature, judicial posts, and city and county government.

"We voted on the candidates, but we didn't do the amendments," Richardson said. The length of the amendments made it difficult to include them on the mock ballot and still finish the voting in time, he said.

As for the rest of the results, by race:

Second District Congressman -- Vic Snyder, 517. Bob Thomas, 318.

State Senate -- Gilbert Baker, 442. Steve Simon, 364.

District 44 State Representative -- Randy Crowell, 490. Marvin Parks, 303.

State Supreme Court Associate Justice, Position 5 -- Jim Hannah, 428. Max Koonce, 346.

Court of Appeals Associate Judge, District 2, Position 2 -- Karen Baker, 504. Margaret Meads, 297.

Cadron Township Constable -- John Edwards, 419. Robert Thacker, 336.

Justice of the Peace, District 8 -- Johnnie Wells, 413. Joyce Garrison, 357.

Alderman, Ward 1, Position 2 -- James Ed Smith, 344. Rodney Pearson, 315.

Other teachers who worked on the project were Joe Graham, Travis Barrentine, Stephen Harshaw, Beverly Sutterfield, Robert Wills, Dan Thessing, William Meriwether and Bob Wilson.

(Staff writer David Bennett can be reached by phone at 505-1260 or e-mail at dbennett@thecabin.net)