In a poll conducted by the California Secretary of State among high school students, Gloria La Riva, the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential candidate, won the Peace and Freedom Party’s “mock” primary election by a nearly two-to-one margin. As of Jan. 30, 79,000 California students had voted.
The students could choose which of the state’s six ballot-qualified primary elections to participate in. After the Democrats and Republicans, the Peace and Freedom Party drew the largest number of voters, 2,358. The Green, Libertarian and American Independent parties also have ballot status in California.
La Riva received 752 or 31.9 percent of the Peace and Freedom votes. Cynthia McKinney was next with 395 or 16.8 percent; followed by Ralph Nader with 391 or 16.7 percent, and Brian Moore (Socialist Party) with 239 or 10 percent. Three other candidates received smaller numbers of votes.
The students who participated were asked to read the ballot statements of the candidates published on the Secretary of State’s website as the basis for their choices.
At R.E. Parris High School in Palmdale, Los Angeles County, La Riva received nearly half the votes cast, 121 of 247, outpolling all other candidates, including all Republicans and Democrats.
“The election result shows that if provided real information—as opposed to empty campaign rhetoric—many young people will vote for a real progressive change and socialism,” said campaign spokesperson Tina Landis.
The La Riva/Puryear PSL campaign calls for lowering the voting age to 16 years.
Click here for the poll results.
