DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is organizing a statewide Youth Straw Poll, scheduled to take place in schools across Iowa, on Tuesday, January 26. The goal of the Straw Poll is to engage students in a hands-on learning experience that will inspire them to participate in civics in their community.

Approximately 250 schools across Iowa have already registered to take part in the Straw Poll. Statewide results will be announced by the Secretary of State's Office on January 26. The Iowa Youth Straw Poll is another facet of the "Caucus 101" curriculum developed by Secretary Pate for high school students. Secretary Pate wants every public school, parochial school and homeschooling student in the state to participate.

"I believe this Straw Poll will provide an interesting snapshot of where the Iowa Caucus races stand, just six days before Iowans vote," Secretary Pate said. "The Straw Poll will not necessarily be indicative of how the Iowa Caucus races will turn out, but it will provide some interesting insight into which candidates have appealed to Iowa's youth. Also, most high school seniors are eligible to participate in the Iowa Caucus on February 1."

Students are encouraged to pick one candidate in both the Republican and Democratic parties on the Straw Poll ballot. Teachers can still register their students by going to this website: https://sos.iowa.gov/youth/studentmockelection/registration.aspx.

The Iowa Youth Straw Poll has the support of the Iowa Council for the Social Studies and the Iowa Department of Education.

"Students will better understand the principles of our democracy when they actively participate," said Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise. "The Iowa Youth Straw Poll is an opportunity to introduce students to the democratic process and to help them build the knowledge and skills to be active, engaged citizens."

Secretary Pate's office worked with the Republican Party of Iowa and Iowa Democratic Party to organize the first statewide, bipartisan Iowa Youth Caucus. More than 1,000 Iowa students participated in that event, held in November 2015. Dr. Ben Carson and Sen. Bernie Sanders were the top vote-getters for their respective parties in the Youth Caucus.

A full list of the schools that are participating in the Iowa Youth Presidential Straw Poll will be available online at www.caucus101.com/resources.

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