While many Iowa towns are holding elections this week, students statewide will also be able to cast ballots in a “mock” election, underway today through Friday. Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver says it’s the third such mock election for Iowa students and the previous two were well received.Culver hopes to use the mock election to get students more involved and interested in the political process. Culver says 33-thousand Iowa students took part in the mock presidential election last November. Culver explains this is the 30th anniversary of the ratification of the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Culver says Iowa students will be able to vote via email and fax, but he says the best way is to log on to the Secretary of State’s website.The address is: “www.sos.state.ia.us”. The 26th Amendment was ratified in 1971. The 1972 election had the highest voter turnout among 18-to-24-year-olds, with nearly 50-percent participation, though participation has steadily declined for young people ever since.
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