Obama wins Kentucky...in mock election among college students

Barack Obama: Getty Images PhotoThe Secretary of State's office reports the Democratic presidential ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden proved strong among 2,188 Kentucky college students who participated in a mock election over recent weeks. Obama and Biden took 53.5 percent of the vote in that race compared to a 42.4 percent haul for the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin.

A mock election conducted in the state's U.S. Senate race found incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) winning narrowly over Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford, 50.2 percent to 48.8 percent.

The election - which included participants from 12 Kentucky colleges and universities - was sponsored by Secretary of State Trey Grayson's office (R-Richwood), with voting running from mid-September to today.

In conjunction with the mock voting, staff from Grayson's office demonstrated how voting machines in the state worked and provided information on voting requirements and procedures.

"We were delighted that so many students took time out of their busy college schedules to participate in the mock election, register to vote, and learn more about absentee voting," said Grayson, in a statement.  "We hope that this will begin a lifelong commitment to voting among these young people."  

The Democratic presidential ticket won at eight of the twelve universities participating, including Bellarmine University, Centre College, Kentucky State University, Murray State, Northern Kentucky University, Pikeville College, the University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University.

McCain and Palin won the votes of majorities at Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Transylvania, and the University of Kentucky.

McConnell, meanwhile, took EKU, Morehead State, Murray State, Transylvania, UK, UofL, and WKU while Lunsford won at Centre, Kentucky State, NKU, and Pikeville. 

The two Senate candidates drew at Bellarmine.

The Secretary's office says this is the second of three mock elections it is sponsoring in the state.

McCain won the first, in July, in a vote on campuses participating in the Governor's Scholars program. The Republican took that vote by 2.5 percent.

The final mock election will be held among elementary, middle school, and high school students on October 30.