Obama Wins Scholastic News Election Poll

America's children have voted, and the Scholastic Presidential Election Poll reveals that Barack Obama is the favorite of America's youth:

Obama 57
McCain 39

The poll closed on October 10, and a quarter of a million young people cast a ballot in it. Scholastic notes:

Since 1940, the results of the student vote have mirrored the outcome of the general election all but twice: In 1948, kids voted for Thomas E. Dewey over Harry S. Truman. In 1960, more students voted for Richard M. Nixon than for John F. Kennedy. In 2000, a majority of student voters chose George W. Bush, mirroring the Electoral College result, but not the result of the popular vote.

Young children often adopt their parents' political views only to develop independent assessments as they grow older. In the past, some observers have speculated the success of the Scholastic Poll may reflect that children are expressing viewpoints they carry from home to the Scholastic Poll.