Students in kindergarten and seniors in high school got an opportunity on Tuesday to practice for the real thing. They voted in mock elections held at several schools in the Natchez area.

We’re glad that teachers and the Adams County Circuit Clerk’s office encouraged these young people to vote, even if it doesn’t county &uot;for real&uot; just yet.

Soon enough &045; especially for many of the seniors &045; these students will have the chance to cast a vote for president or senator or mayor or any number of offices.

Teaching them about voting is important. It encourages civic responsibility, it teaches them about the voting process and it allows them to talk about the election and the candidates with each other and with their parents and teachers.

We have had so much voter apathy in recent elections. Even now, with predictions of record turnout in Mississippi and perhaps other places, we still may not have the overwhelming voter participation that is seen in democracies outside the United States.

Kudos also to the Armstrong Library, which held a political forum on Tuesday night to give party leaders a chance to voice their candidates’ opinions and gave residents a chance to ask questions. With so little attention paid to our state and its few electoral votes, the forum was a good way to boost the dialogue about the election &045; and hopefully the interest in the race.

As we approach Election Day, we need to encourage everyone to vote.