It's McCain by a landslide

Young ‘voters’ in Brownsdale cast ballots for president

By Lee Bonorden (Contact) | Austin Daily Herald

Published Thursday, October 2, 2008

BROWNSDALE — It’s McCain by a landslide!

In fact, his opponent, Senator Barack Obama, a Democrat, didn’t receive a single vote.

Senator John McCain, a Republican, got them all.

With only 33 days to go until the 2008 presidential election, Brownsdale Elementary School third graders weighed in with a McCain polling victory.

The poll was conducted Wednesday morning, during a break from a reading class.

For the second straight year, the third-graders were the “senior” students in the school because it is a K-3 facility in the Hayfield Independent School District.

Olivia Matti said she would vote for McCain for president.

Like other Americans of all ages, Matti has been inundated with commercials on the family’s television. “I don’t really like those commercials, so I don’t pay any attention to them,” she said.

The presidential race has been a topic of conversation in the Matti household among the third-grader’s parents. “They say they don’t really like Democrats,” she said.

The third-grader said she knows what the president does for a living. “He runs the country,” she said.

She knew George W. Bush is the nation’s president, but said her mother may not approve of the job he is doing running the country.

“She’s doesn’t really like George Bush, I think,” she said.

The next third-grader polled was Danielle Engel.

“We’ve been watching the news a lot lately,” she said.

Also professing she supports the Republican candidate for president, Engel said Bush is “doing a pretty good job.”

Danielle Schmidt cast her personal preference for McCain.

Kelsey Roe didn’t hesitate when announcing she would vote for McCain for president.

And, why would she vote for the Republican?

“Because I heard somebody say that John McCain plans to stop pollution and Barack Obama is just the opposite,” she said.

Would the third-grader like to be president of the United States? “Maybe sometime, but I’m not sure,” she said.

Carl Heide is the son of the Hayfield Vikings varsity football coach.

He said he was undecided about whom he would vote for president.

Nick Tufte said he would vote for the Republican candidate. “I don’t know why, but I just like him,” Tufte said.

Six little voices spoke their piece about politics 33 days before the election.

When the polling was done, the third-graders were asked to raise their hands in the air about their choices.

Sorry, Obama. All six hands went up when McCain’s name was called.