Kids Head to the Polls in the 14th Weekly Reader Presidential Election

Nation's Best-Known, Uncannily Accurate Classroom Poll Enables Students to State Their Choices. PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., /PRNewswire/ -- Want to know who will be the next president of the United States? Ask a kid!

Over the past 52 years, students voting in the Weekly Reader Presidential Election poll have predicted the winner of the election 12 out of 13 times. On Monday, September 22, the 14th Weekly Reader poll opens in thousands of classrooms across the nation -- and kids from kindergarten through high school once again will make their opinions heard.

Since 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower ran for re-election against Adlai Stevenson, more than eight million students have voted in the Weekly Reader poll. This year, as in 2000 and 2004, the student election is being conducted in conjunction with the noted polling organization, Zogby International.

"Weekly Reader's results have been consistently on target in telling the American people who our next president will be, and we anticipate that this year will be no different," said Neal Goff, President of Weekly Reader. "Even though they are too young to vote, America's children know that this election is important to their future. We're proud of our extensive educational program about elections, and we know that our presidential poll gives kids a terrific sense of participation and understanding."

Will this year's students choose John McCain or Barack Obama? Find out on October 29, when the Weekly Reader results are announced!

Here are some of the Weekly Reader Presidential Election Poll's remarkable results over the past 52 years:

-- The poll's been right more than 90 percent of the time. The eligible candidate that kids named as their choice for president has won 12 out of 13 times -- and in eight out of the last nine elections.

-- Weekly Reader voters often have been on target about the Electoral College. In 1972, the poll predicted that Richard Nixon would win 49 states, and that George McGovern would take only Massachusetts and Washington, D.C -- mirroring the actual results precisely. In 1980, kids predicted the huge sweep by Ronald Reagan.

-- The Weekly Reader survey has, on occasion, been more precise than major pollsters. For example, most polling organizations said the race between President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan was too close to call. But Weekly Reader kids voted for Reagan by a large margin -- exactly what happened in the general election. In fact, the kids' results exactly matched the fraction of votes (41 percent) that Carter received.

-- This student survey has been widely acknowledged as a key indicator of who will win. In 1984, U.S. News and World Report asked, "Where do experts differ on the contest for president? Which will come closest?" It put together a chart that listed eight top pollsters, including Gallup and Harris, and listed Weekly Reader prominently.

The student election survey is one of many ways in which Weekly Reader informs and involves the next generation of citizens. Throughout this presidential election season, Weekly Reader delivers cutting-edge, up-to-the-minute multimedia materials to schools -- all of it designed to make learning about the election relevant and fun.

The award-winning Weekly Reader website features a continuously updated Election 2008 area, www.weeklyreader.com/election, which provides topical, targeted coverage of the election, specifics about the candidates and issues, fascinating election anecdotes, and instructive interactive games for students in elementary, middle, and high schools. Teachers can download exclusive lesson plans outlining the political process. Post-election coverage will continue online and in Weekly Reader's acclaimed classroom magazines through the inauguration and first 100 days the new president spends in office.

About Weekly Reader Publishing

For more than 100 years, Weekly Reader has been a leading publisher of supplemental educational products to schools and libraries, dedicated to making learning come alive by creating engaging materials that connect what children learn to the world around them. Through its flagship product line.

-- Weekly Reader classroom magazines -- Weekly Reader reaches an audience of almost 8 million educators, students, and their parents annually. The Weekly Reader Publishing Group (WRPG) also includes Weekly Reader Curriculum Publishing and Custom Publishing; Weekly Reader Research; Gareth Stevens Publishing; World Almanac Education Library Services; Facts for Learning and Funk & Wagnall's. WRPG is part of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. For more information, visit www.weeklyreader.com.

About Zogby International

Zogby International is a public opinion, research, and business solutions firm with experience working in more than 70 countries around the globe. Founded and led by John Zogby since 1984, Zogby International ranks as one of the industry's leaders thanks to its reputation for superior accuracy and reliability. Zogby specializes in telephone, Internet, and face-to-face survey research and analysis for political, corporate, non-profit, and governmental clients. The firm is headquartered in Utica, New York, with offices in Washington D.C., and Miami.

Stay informed. Visit Weekly Reader Election 2008 at www.weeklyreader.com/election.