High school students tackle Electoral College

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - At Pflugerville's Hendrickson High School, national politics are playing out in the classroom. Speech students are staging a mock debate – mimicking what they have seen presidential candidates do in the real world.

"[We're examining] what they did right and what they did wrong, so we're going to try to keep time constraints a little bit better than they did,” said Emily Etnyre, a senior serving as moderator.

As they prep for their own campus-wide election, they are also tackling what might be the most confusing topic of all – the Electoral College -- the entity that really picks the president.

"I think a lot of people don't understand the Electoral College, even most adults,” said Andrew Barron, a senior playing the role of President Barack Obama.

"Interestingly, a lot of students thought (the Electoral College) was a place that you attend school, so there's a wide range of what students know,” said teacher Kirsten Nash.

Based on population, a select group -- the Electoral College -- actually chooses the nation's leader. Electors’ vote almost always reflects the popular vote -- what voters decide at the polls.

But it does not always happen that way, like in 2000 when Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College vote to George W. Bush.

"I think it's going to be a pretty close election,” said Etnyre. “I'm not sure who's going to come out on top."

A select number of students and teachers will decide their election's outcome next Tuesday -- their own Electoral College. It is complicated but an early lesson in voting, something they hope sticks in students' minds.

"We'll see if a teachable moment emerges out of that,” said Nash.