Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Students predict N.D. outcome

Students predict N.D. outcome

Nov 04, 2008 - 09:46:35 CST

By BRIAN DUGGAN
Bismarck Tribune

While the pollsters and the pundits argue over which way North Dakotans will vote in the presidential election today, a high school class in California claims to already know the answer: Sen. John McCain and by a slim margin.

Four students attending Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, Calif., have spent the last two months studying North Dakota's demographics and political history for a class project that is predicting the presidential election in every state.

After some deliberation and critical thinking, North Dakota will be a win for the Republican candidate, said Keenan DuBois, a 15-year-old sophomore at Sir Francis Drake who worked on the project.

"I think we made a lot of the prediction on how North Dakota has voted in the past," DuBois said, noting the state hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in the 1964 election.

He added the population of North Dakotans that is aged 65 or older is about 3 percent higher than the national average, which should benefit McCain.

DuBois said if he could vote today he would support Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

"I think that he's definitely a great choice because of his economic plan and his environmental plan," DuBois said.

(Reach reporter Brian Duggan at 223-8482 or brian.duggan@;bismarcktribune.com.)

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Comments

bladerunner wrote on Nov 4, 2008 7:18 PM:

" I work with several people who just don't vote, period. Never have and I'm sure never will. Good workers, have their full time job and work a second job in some cases. I guess that also a choice. Whom every wins, I wish we had as many voter as possible. What ever the outcome. "

Nicholas wrote on Nov 4, 2008 7:11 PM:

" its only 3 electoral points. ha. north dakota.. "

Concerned wrote on Nov 4, 2008 7:11 PM:

" Honey I have been around for a few years longer than you I am sure. We are going to have problems regardless of who is elected. COUNT ON IT!---GOD BLESS AMERICA WHILE WE ARE STILL A FREE COUNTRY. "

Bono wrote on Nov 4, 2008 6:26 PM:

" And we aren't having biiiiiggg problems now?????? "

Concerned wrote on Nov 4, 2008 3:54 PM:

" Who is Obama? Really had you heard of him prior to the nominations?I have lived in the south all my life and have no problem with a black man being president ,but not this one.We are in for biggggggg problems should he win! "

Bono wrote on Nov 4, 2008 2:37 PM:

" Q - it's called being self employed and running your own life. No employer is "paying taxes on me" as you suggest. I put in a days work by noon! "

Deb wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:41 PM:

" GOR: I'll add it to the long list of 6-packs that I've bet people already.

If Obama wins ND - I want a sixer of Fat Tire. "

Mike wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:40 PM:

" Ha! How funny, the kids from my home county, down the street from where I went to HS have made that prediction....but never kids, North Dakota may just surprise us all, yet. "

Q wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:27 PM:

" Wow, do you people have jobs that provide for so much free time? After you have put in a good days work for your employer (who is paying taxes on you, etc...) Why don't you just watch the news and see. "

Optimistic Old Progressive wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:20 PM:

" MamaMia (Deb & Democrat too)...I'm with you! Being stuck in the past won't cut it for me today. Our "Grumpy Old Republican" knows every glass that's half empty is also half full. Why not see the "gift" in the "will of the people" that's trying to express itself today?

This groundswell is huge, and we'd better pay attention whether we individually get what we want or not. Hope for me is always preferable to fear of change. Besides, it makes life a lot sweeter than grousing. Who knows what Obama's coattails may carry today? But I'm seeing a lot of purple all around (AND Deb's blue) in our future...ND's and the USA's. "

Bono wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:14 PM:

" The really funny part is that it really doesn't even matter if the oldies of ND vote McCain. ND barely counts as it is! So go ahead and vote McBush. Obama is still taking it all. "

american wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:08 PM:

" Well I cant see obama within 15 points there are to many hard working americans left in north dakota, I just hope that the line at the voters booth is longer than the one at the welfare office in other states obama's reward the slackers punish the hard working will be very hard on north dakota. "

Ann wrote on Nov 4, 2008 1:05 PM:

" I am almost sure that this will be a very close race here in ND for the first time in a long time, and I'm optimistic that the end result will be an Obama win both here and all over the U.S. I have to say that I got a bit teary-eyed this morning when I cast my vote for the first likely African American President of the United States. I always believed the day would come in my lifetime, but even I didn't predict that it would happen yet. And, with all hope for the future, I am expecting to cast my ballot in 8 years (after 2 Obama terms) for the first female President! And, to everyone out there - if you haven't voted yet DO IT NOW! - no matter your political persuasion. "

Grumpy Old Republican wrote on Nov 4, 2008 12:12 PM:

" Deb, are you and MamaMia both in on the bet? I'm betting a beer from each of you that Obama doesn't carry ND. "

Ben wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:52 AM:

" To Democrat: I am looking at the past 8 years I also look at the Clinton years. Look at 1999 that is when the unregulated mortgages started? Who was in power then?? Also who head the board overseeing fannie and freddi hmmm Barney Frank a democrat who said Fannie and Freddie were sound a few months before everything went up in flames. He didn't set off and alarm bells. Who tried to regulate Freddit and Fannie in 2005?? The republicans did and the dems killed that legislation. So hmm the dems are partly to blame huh? There is enough blame to go around. I hate to burst your bubble "

Ben wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:51 AM:

Deb wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:39 AM:

" Anyone who calls a Obama a socialist has no idea what socialism is. Even the guy running on the socialist party ticket for president says that it's ludicrous to think that Obama is anything other than a capitalist.

And you heard it here first folks, I'm predicting Obama by the slimmest of margins in ND. Tonight will be a very embarrasing evening for the Republican party - not that the last 8 years wasn't embarrassing enough for them. "

Democrat wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:29 AM:

" To Ben Republicans are to blame i hate to burst your bubble look at the last eight years Obama 08 "

Grumpy Old Republican wrote on Nov 4, 2008 9:54 AM:

" Dave is right. The "polls" can say whatever they want. It's not going to be a close race in ND at all.

As for Keenan DuBois saying if he could vote, he'd vote Obama...I totally understand why. Being a teenager with no clue and having been supported all his life, it comes naturally. Perhaps if this youngster gets a chance to get out in the real world and have to WORK for a living and EARN what he gets and then watch chunks of it disappear into tax coffers, he'll come around and see that socialism isn't what it's cracked up to be. "

ben wrote on Nov 4, 2008 9:26 AM:

" I am sincerely hoping that North Dakotans will vote McCain. I don't want a president who is going to try and increase the capital gains tax and increase small business taxes. All of that will hurt our economy even more. And don't try and blame our economy woes solely on the republicans, the dem's are just as much to blame Dave what are you implying about old people? I'm in my 20's and a McCain supporter. "

MamaMia wrote on Nov 4, 2008 8:51 AM:

" I am sincerely hoping that North Dakotans will buck the odds and elect Barack Obama in 2008. "

Dave wrote on Nov 4, 2008 8:17 AM:

" I can't see Obama within 10 points of McCain at the end of the day. There are just too many old people set in their ways. "

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