CORONA DEL MAR : Bergeson Tells Pupils of an Election Lost

State Sen. Marian C. Bergeson ran for the office of eraser monitor in the third grade, a post reserved for boys up until then. She lost, she told a group of Lincoln Elementary School fourth- and fifth-graders Friday, but not because she was a girl.

“I didn’t want to vote for myself. . . . so I didn’t vote,” said Bergeson. “I lost by one vote.”

Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), a second-term legislator, is seeking reelection Nov. 3. She is opposed by Democrat Doriane Garcia of Cypress, a communications specialist.

She spoke at the school at the request of fourth-grade teacher Kathy Cox, who asked her to acquaint the students with the political system.

To demonstrate the importance of voting, the 65-year-old former grade school teacher set up a mock hearing Friday in which the students acted as legislators discussing the pros and cons of requiring sixth-graders to do all the homework of fourth- and fifth-graders. Most of the kids favored the bill, saying life, for them, would be more enjoyable.

But when hands went up to vote for the bill, 9-year-old Lila Razmara tried to persuade her friend to bring his hand down. “We’ll all grow up to be stupid and have no jobs,” she explained. The response: 93 to 58 in favor of the bill.

“You only need a majority, more than half of the votes,” Bergeson said. “It’s all based on the democratic process.”

“I think you better vote whenever you can,” Bryan Gray, 10, said. “If you don’t vote, the person or proposal you want might not win.”