Montessori students elect Bluey 'boss of the school' in mock vote

The girls were happy to discuss their voting preferences afterwards, however, the boys were more inclined to keep their vote secret

Ben Hennessy, 3, of Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Montessori school was among the votes in the school boss elections.

They may be too young to vote on Friday, but that didn’t stop them from going to the polls to learn about the power of their vote.

The 22 students of a Montessori school in Cork, all of them aged between three and five, elected Bluey — the energetic animated blue heeler pup — to be the “boss of their school”, edging out a tiny yellow Minion henchman from the Despicable Me movie franchise by just one vote.

Surprisingly, old favourite Peppa Pig saw her vote collapse — finishing with just two votes.

Sinéad Hennessy, who runs Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Montessori school in Bishopstown, said their election was run just days before the local and European elections to teach the children how important their vote can be — a lesson she and her staff hope will stay with them until the youngest turns 18 in about 2039.

“We told them that Friday’s votes could change Ireland and that their vote could change the school,” she said.

I think they have really grasped the idea of voting. We couldn’t believe how much they embraced it. It was lovely to watch

The idea for the election came out of discussions the children were having themselves after spotting election posters in their area.

A student filling in his ballot paper at the polling booth in Scoil An Spioraid Naoimh Montessori, Bishopstown.

“So we started talking to the children about why the posters were there,  and then we decided to stage our own little election, and to bring it down to their level,” Ms Hennessy said.

Five candidates declared in the race to become “the boss of the school” — Peppa Pig, Ryder from Paw Patrol, Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse, a Minion, and Bluey.

Their election posters were displayed in the classroom

The children arrived in to their "polling station" on Tuesday and, once their identification was checked, they were handed a ballot paper bearing the names and pictures of the candidates. 

They were directed towards a mini voting booth, where they were able to cast their vote by placing a pink love-heart sticker next to their number one and a black circle sticker next to their least favourite candidate, before popping their ballot paper into a ballot box.

Libbi Keane, 5, casts her vote in the school election on Tuesday.

There was a 100% voter turnout, and not a single vote was spoiled.

The girls were happy to discuss their voting preferences afterwards. The boys were more inclined to keep their vote secret.

Ms Hennessy said news of the election filtered into the childrens’ homes and out into their wider families, with some grandparents expressing excitement at school drop-off time about hearing the election results later.

"We hope that if some of the children are accompanying their parents and grandparents to a polling station on Friday, they will have a greater understanding of what’s happening."