RICHLAND -- About 500 students lined up outside of Badger Mountain Elementary School's library to vote for President today.

First through fifth graders signed their name to check in with organizers, then they voted on laptops.

Students could vote for either Barack Obama or John McCain.

Once they finished, they received an "I voted" sticker to make it official.

"We wanted to to make this very meaningful to them, and represent exactly what happens when people go to vote" said Gail Ledbetter, Badger Mountain Elementary School Principal.

Organizers say the mock election doesn't focus on who the students vote for, but on the importance of voting, and understanding how the national system works.

"To help us learn about the process and how we're gonna vote when we're older" said Aaron Vanmorris, fifth grader.

Badger mountain's mock election is part of a nation-wide election today.

Organizers say about four million elementary school students from all 50 states participated.