2025 Oregon Civics Conference

Oregon Civics Conference OSME Presentation Feedback

Dec 5, 2025, in Salem

Hosted by Civics Learning Project

The 2025 Oregon Civics Conference was held on December 5. Mimi Alkire (Oregon Student Mock Election Chair) and Diana DeMaria (Youth Outreach Chair) were part of the full day’s tabling, sharing one-on-one with teachers about Oregon Student Mock Election (OSME). Mimi was also a co-presenter for a session about OSME with Urmila Baruah, Salem-Keizer School District Social Studies TOSA. Here is the feedback from social studies teachers from across the state who attended the session.

Summary

Teachers discovered extensive ready-made support for mock elections through the

Oregon League of Women Voters, with many surprised to learn they don't have to

create materials from scratch and can scale beyond individual classrooms to district-

wide initiatives. The session provided concrete toolkits including ballots, candidate

information sheets, and implementation guides that reduce teacher preparation

burden while creating authentic voting experiences for students.

Key Takeaways and Themes

Authentic Civic Experience: Teachers valued the hands-on, realistic approach of setting

up voting stations, using actual ballots, and assigning student roles as poll workers

and observers—moving beyond theoretical discussion to experiential learning that

mirrors real democratic processes and increases likelihood of future voter

participation.

Nonpartisan Framework Appreciated: The League of Women Voters reputation for

nonpartisanship resonated with teachers seeking ways to engage students in

elections education without appearing biased.

Notable Quote

“This session reinforced my belief that students need concrete, experiential

opportunities to understand democratic processes. It also challenged me to think

about how election education can be truly nonpartisan while still deeply engaging and

empowering for students.”