Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sixth-grade student Mabel Heinonen casts a vote for a mock election at Hancock Middle School Tuesday morning.

HANCOCK — They won’t be part of the official Houghton County results from Election Day, but students at Hancock Middle School and Hancock Central High School found a way to make their voices heard.

Students cast ballots in a mock election at the Hancock Middle School auditorium before school and during lunch break Tuesday.

Social studies teacher Jeff Hauswirth, who’s in his second year at Hancock, got the idea after Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Kelly talked with students last month.

“I think it’s good to teach kids about their civic responsibilities early,” he said. “It coincides with letting them have a chance to speak their voice at the polls as well.”

The middle-school ballot included only the partisan races, leaving off nonpartisan items such as ballot proposals.

Mabel Heinonen, a sixth-grade student at Hancock Middle School, said the experience made her “more likely to want to vote when she grew up.”

Eighth-grader Marie Thompson, who voted shortly before class started Tuesday morning, was also helping to run the student election.

She said the vote was important “so we can get an idea of who people would like to run our country.”

Student poll workers counted the ballots for the final total, which were announced to the school at the end of the day.

“To me, it’s not about what you believe personally, it’s about making sure it’s called straight down the line,” Hauswirth said.

Hancock Schools mock election result

GOVERNOR: Tudor Dixon/Shane Hernandez (75%)

SEC. OF STATE: Kristina Karamo (77%)

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Matthew DePerno (81%)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: Jack Bergman (82%)

STATE SENATE: Ed McBroom (83%)

STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Greg Markkanen (86%)

SHERIFF: Joshua Saaranen (82%)

COUNTY COMMISSIONER: Dan Holcomb (81%)

SCHOOL BOARD: Randy Heinonen, Catherine Jordan, Dale Kero, Steven Koskela and Rod Paavola (not listed in order of vote total)