2024 California Student Mock Election FAQs (PDF)
When will the 2024 California Student Mock Election take place?
The 2024 California Student Mock Election will take place on Tuesday, October 8.
What’s new in 2024?
We have a short video that will guide you through the steps necessary to participate in the mock election. This helpful resource will be available on our Getting Started page in Spring 2024.
Every school that registers by September 16, 2024, including schools that choose electronic ballots, will now receive a welcome packet in the mail. The welcome packets will be mailed within a week of a registration being submitted and will contain an informational letter, “Save the Date” posters, “I Voted” stickers, and High School Poll Worker recruitment flyers. These items will no longer be included in the paper supply kits that are mailed mid-September.
Who can participate in the Student Mock Election?
The 2024 California Student Mock Election is open to all middle and high schools in the state of California. Other school-affiliated or educational organizations have also participated in past Student Mock Elections. If your organization is interesting in participating in the 2024 event, please contact MyVote@sos.ca.gov for more information.
How do students participate in the Student Mock Election?
Students must be enrolled at a registered school to participate in the Student Mock Election. If you are unsure whether or not your school plans to participate in the Student Mock Election, we encourage you to share the Student Flyer located on our Getting Started page with your principal or favorite teachers and encourage them to register your school.
How do schools sign up for the Student Mock Election?
Schools must register online for the Student Mock Election. Registration will be available beginning April 2024.
Each school must select a Student Mock Election Coordinator who will be the point of contact for information and materials related to the Student Mock Election. Schools will also be asked to provide the total population of their school, the estimated number of participating students, as well as to indicate whether their school will conduct their voting with electronic or paper ballots.
My school registered for a previous Student Mock Election. Does the school have to register again?
Yes. Schools must register for each Student Mock Election and designate a coordinator for that mock election.
Is there a deadline to register for the Student Mock Election?
There are two important deadlines for the Student Mock Election.
September 16, 2024, is the last day to register and receive mock election supplies by mail.
Each school that registers by September 16 will receive a welcome packet that contains an informational letter, “Save the Date” posters, “I Voted” stickers and High School Poll Worker recruitment flyers.
Schools that register by September 16 and choose the paper ballot option will receive a supply kit in the mail that contains mock election ballots, Student Voter Information Guides, instructions on how to tabulate and report election results and a School Vote Report Form.
October 2, 2024, is the last day to register for the Student Mock Election.
When will we receive our Student Mock Election materials?
For schools that register by September 16, 2024:
- Upon registration, a welcome packet containing an informational letter, Save the Date posters, I Voted stickers, and High School Poll Worker recruitment flyers will be mailed to the school.
- Mid-September we will begin mailing paper supply kits to schools that requested them. Paper supply kits include mock election ballots, Student Voter Information Guides, instructions on how to tabulate and report election results and a School Vote Report Form.
- Schools that register after September 16 will receive an email containing instructions and materials that will allow them to conduct their mock election electronically. It will also contain links to our website that will allow them to download and print mock election materials if they prefer to conduct their mock election using paper materials.
How does Student Mock Election voting take place?
Schools can conduct their voting electronically or in person. If you are conducting voting in person, you can set up polling locations on campus or have students vote in their classrooms. If you want to conduct your voting electronically, the Secretary of State’s Student Mock Election team will provide both a Google Forms and an interactive PDF version of the ballot along with voting instructions.
Whether you conduct your voting electronically or in person, vote tallies must be submitted to your Student Mock Election Coordinator, who will enter the school-wide total on the Student Mock Election website. For more ideas about how to make the voting experience educational and engaging for your students, visit Ideas for Your Mock Election.
How do schools report their Student Mock Election voting results?
Schools may use the School Vote Report Form to tabulate their school-wide voting results at the conclusion of their mock election. If voting is taking place in classrooms, schools are welcome to create their own classroom reporting forms or distribute copies of the School Vote Report Form for each teacher. However, results will need to be combined into campus-wide totals before they are submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office. The School Vote Report Form is available on our Tools for Success page.
Once the school-wide results have been tallied, the Student Mock Election Coordinator will need to log on to their account and enter the results. For more details, please visit “Instructions for tabulating and reporting election results on our Tools for Success page".
What if my school can’t vote on Tuesday, October 8?
Early voting will be available for the Student Mock Election beginning on October 1, 2024. Schools may begin reporting their results on this date by logging in to their account on the Student Mock Election website.
When will the results of the Student Mock Election be announced?
Preliminary California Student Mock Election results will be posted to the Student Mock Election website beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Mock Election Day: Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The final results will be announced on Friday, October 11, 2024.
What issues will students vote on in the Student Mock Election?
During the 2024 California Student Mock Election, students will be able to cast their vote for President and Vice President of the United States and ballot measures that have been placed on the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot.
How can I learn more about the candidates and ballot propositions for the Student Mock Election?
You can read about the candidates and measures that will appear on the ballot in our Student Mock Election Voter Information Guide, which will be available in September 2024.
