HARTFORD — In an effort to get school kids involved in the voting process, the “Every Kid Votes” mock election was launched the Tuesday before...

HARTFORD -- In an effort to get school kids involved in the voting process, the "Every Kid Votes" mock election was launched the Tuesday before the election. 

"Every Kid Votes" is billed as the nation's largest presidential election involving students, and includes schools from every state.  More than 3 million kids were registered to vote, and 17 schools across Connecticut participated. 

At the Breakthrough Magnet School in Hartford, there was a buzz by the ballot box in Kelly Taylor's classroom filled with excited first and second graders. 

"The big thing we are working on is children respecting each others opinions so that is something we are tying into the election," Taylor said. 

Cherish Rowland, 7, voted for Hillary Clinton "because she might make the world a better place." 

Rowland wasn't alone; as of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, nearly 700,000 students nationwide had voted, with more than 68 percent of the electoral votes going to Clinton and nearly 32 percent going to Donald Trump.  As for the popular vote, Clinton had 48.5 percent tied up, while Trump had taken 36.5 percent.  Unlike the electoral vote, third-party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein each had a sizable--and nearly equal--portion of the popular vote. 

Julie Goldstein, the principal at Breakthrough Magnet, said her classes have benefited from the civics lesson. " It's great for our students to know they are a part of this picture."