The majority of Greene County High School students see the upcoming election differently than their peers across Iowa. In the Iowa Youth Straw Poll, held last Tuesday by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Republicans won across the state, but Greene County students voted Democratic.
Greene County students voted for Fred Hubbell and Rita Hart for governor and lieutenant governor 43.9 percent to 39 percent. Libertarian Jake Porter got 12.2 percent and Clear Water candidate Gary Siegwarth got 4.9 percent.
They also voted for Democratic challenger J.D. Scholten for the Fourth Congressional District over incumbent Steve King, with Scholten getting 51.2 percent of the vote and King getting 39 percent. Libertarian Charles Aldrich got 9.8 percent.
The students gave the Democratic candidates a sweep, with Democrat David Weaver getting 53.7 percent of the vote and Republican Phil Thompson getting 46.3 percent of the vote for the Iowa House District 47 seat.
However, statewide Reynolds/Gregg got 46.6 percent to Hubbell/Hart/s 38.1 percent. The students elected Republicans to every Congressional District, including the Second, including Republican challenger Christopher Peters over Democrat Congressman Dave Loebsack in the Second District.
In the Fourth Congressional District King was re-elected 53.3 percent to Scholten’s 34.2 percent.
The Iowa Youth Straw Poll is part of a free Elections 101 available to Iowa teachers. The 10-day curriculum was written by Iowa teachers and is compliant with the Iowa Core requirements for political science- civic literacy.
Crystal Chrichton teaches government at Greene County HS.
