During October students at Northwestern Middle School spent time studying about the electoral college and America's voting system.

Social Studies teacher Ed Roman said eighth-grade students experienced a more in-depth study of the election process

They discussed the philosophy behind an election, such as isolating counties and the significance of the I-80 corridor.

Maureen Roman, sixth-grade social studies teacher, said her students were taught the fundamental information needed to vote.

All grades learned there are 538 electoral votes and a candidate must receive the greatest amount of electoral votes or a minimum of 270 to win an election.

The culmination of the study allowed the students to vote for the presidential candidate of their choice.

A map of the United States was drawn and divided into 24 sections to signify the 22 homerooms plus two service homerooms: Student Council and Tiger TV.

Each grade was allotted a specific number of electoral votes: eighth grade, 30; seventh grade, 25; sixth grade, 25;Student Council, 25; and Tiger TV, eight.

Students voted in their homeroom Nov. 6, using a ballot with the names of both candidates.

Homeroom votes were tallied and posted as the school day progressed and announcements were made stating the candidate who was in the lead.

At 12:15 p.m., Gov. Mitt Romney had the lead with 237 electoral votes. President Barack Obama had 74 electoral votes.

The vote at the end of the day gave Romney 305 Republican popular votes and Obama 19 Democrat popular votes.

The electoral votes registered at 417.5 for Romney and 120.5 for Obama. (One homeroom split their votes).

This is the third presidential election at the middle school.

In 2004, students voted for President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

They voted for the John McCain and Sarah Palin ticket over Obama and Joe Biden in 2008.