Middle school pupils enjoy
having say in voting booth
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — A yearly tradition has been started at the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School (MEMS), a tradition that teaches all 1,400 pupils how, why, when and where to vote.

"Gather round. I’m going to show you what to do," said MaryAnn Tamberella, social studies teacher, as pupils watched her demonstrate the operation of a voting booth. "You take the red button at the top and flip it to the right. That’s going to close the curtains. It’s going to make a noise. You will be all right. You will be able to get out."

Last year, students at MEMS voted for president. This year, they voted for New Jersey’s governor. Their choices were limited to Republican Bret Schundler and Democrat James McGreevey in a program that gives them a chance to learn how to use a real voting booth.

"Pick the candidate you want to vote for and take your finger and push that lever to the left," said Tamberella. "If you’ve done that, an ‘X’ will appear next to the candidate’s name."

Tamberella told the students that after they had made their decision, they should flip the red button at the top to the left and the curtain on the booth will open. The vote will be registered and will be counted.

The teacher noted that an independent candidate for governor, William T. Schluter, was not declared when the ballots were ordered for the voting machines that were used at MEMS. He will be on the ballot in November.

Students were eager to line up and cast their vote.

Katie Gargiulo, 12, described her first experience at voting as being, "Really cool," but the seventh-grader said it was confusing. "The curtain wouldn’t close for me," she said. "I asked for help."

Katie said she wasn’t going to tell anyone who she voted for and has no intention of going into politics.

"I want to be a doctor," she said.

Joseph St. George, 13, a seventh-grader, said he thought voting was fun and pretty easy. Joseph said he had gone once before with his mom to the voting booth. He said he would be voting for Schundler because, "from what I hear, I think he’s pretty nice."

"He will probably do what he says," Joseph said. "I heard he said he would be lowering taxes. From what I hear, the news is talking mostly about Bret Schundler."

Daniel Musto, 12, said he liked being a part of the vote for governor.

"It’s special for me because it’s my first time in a voting booth," Daniel said. "I get to be a part of the school election."

Daniel said he’d be voting for Schundler because, "as (Jersey City) mayor, he’s lowered the crime by 18 percent, and he wants to lower the property taxes."

Lauren Cohen, a first-time voter, said she also voted for Schundler because, "I read in an article that he is going to Israel. So, the Jews in New Jersey know that he is also going to help other people that are Jewish. He seems like he’s a pretty good man because he is going to help other people."

Lauren said she had no idea what McGreevey’s platform is, but she said she would try to find out.

"I think it’s important that we get to vote in school," she said. "I think it’s a good thing that (the teachers) know that it’s important for us to vote, and it’s important that we know about who’s going to run."

Lauren said that from now on she’s going to read the newspapers.