Kids also voted, and they favored Obama, Franken
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Students in about 40 school districts across the state took part in 'Kids Voting Minnesota'. The students went with their parents to polling places and cast their own ballots in statewide and congressional races.
More than 75,000 students voted, with Barack Obama besting John McCain by more than 27,000 votes. Obama's 67 percent with the kids compares to the 54 percent he garnered from the adult vote.
The kids mostly voted the same way their parents did, with a couple exceptions: Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg beat Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann by 13 votes.
Lars Sandstrom, the executive director of Kids Voting Minnesota, said Democrats tended to fair better because more of the participating districts are in Democratic-leaning areas.
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"It's kind of the habit-development thing at the habit-development age," Sandstrom said.
But the mission, he adds, is non-partisan.
"Get the kids into the habit of being informed voters so that when they turn 18, they will more naturally vote."
The U.S. Senate race was also close. Al Franken won by 681 votes, but unlike the adults, this race won't have a recount.
Here's a rundown of the results from Kids Vote 2008.
Total ballots cast: 75,789
President
John McCain 22,414
Barack Obama 49,648
Others 1,700
U.S. Senate
Dean Barkley 7,218
Norm Coleman 26,780
Al Franken 27,461
Others 3,238
Congress - 1st District
Greg Mikkelson 422
Brian Davis 1,245
Tim Walz 1,951
Congress - 2nd District
John Kline 4,919
Steve Sarvi 2,691
Congress - 3rd District
Dave Dillon 321
Erik Paulsen 944
Ashwin Madia 772
Congress - 4th District
Ed Matthews 4,793
Betty McCollum 9,926
Congress - 5th District
Bill McGaughy 642
Barb White Davis 1,253
Keith Ellison 4,169
Congress - 6th District
Bob Anderson 399
Michele Bachmann 1,171
Elwyn Tinklenberg 1,184
Congress - 7th District
Glen Menze 2,102
Collin Peterson 3,579
Congress - 8th District
Michael Cummins 1,681
James Oberstar 2,444
Constitutional Question
YES 15,644
NO 6,066
MN Supreme Court Seat 3
Paul Anderson 18,343
Tim Tinglestad 13,673
MN Supreme Court Seat 4
Lorie Gildea 17,024
Deborah Hedlund 18,942
