When is the best time to teach students about democracy? In an election year.

So says Kaiser High School social studies teacher Adam Yeatts.

"This was the perfect year to teach this (participation in democracy) class," he said in a phone interview Wednesday. "Students took political surveys and then we moved onto having kids research the candidates. The info they got, they gave back to the school during a pep rally. … They made and handed out fliers, and even had a mock debate, with one (student) as Obama and another as Romney. It was exciting."

This culminated in students casting their votes from Oct. 22 through Election Day as part of Kids Voting Hawaii, a nonprofit, nonpartisan program that teaches students across the islands about their civic rights and responsibilities to prepare them for a lifetime of voting.

Benjamin Rifleman, a Kaiser High School senior in Yeatts’ democracy class, said this year was the first time he cast a ballot, but it won’t be the last.

"I’ll definitely be voting again," he said. "I think it’s really important for people to have their voices heard, and more importantly, because our generation will be the next voting generation, we need to get more involved so we know the candidates and are not so easily swayed."

This year, more than 120,000 K-12 students statewide participated in Kids Voting Hawaii, the program’s highest participation since it started in the state in 1996.

"I think students are getting used to Kids Voting Hawaii, so they expect it," said Linda Coble, Kids Voting Hawaii board chairwoman. "We had a number of schools tell us that kids insisted on getting their passwords and having a day at the computer to vote. The kids have really gotten into the habit of voting and that’s the whole purpose of this. We want them to become responsible citizens."

Seventy-five percent of students voted for President Barack Obama, while former Gov. Mitt Romney received 18 percent, according to Kids Voting Hawaii results. Rifleman said he voted for Obama because "I thought he spoke more for me."

Democrats Mazie Hirono and Tulsi Gabbard beat their Republican congressional challengers, former Gov. Linda Lingle and Kawika Crowley, while Republican Charles Djou led Democrat Colleen Hanabusa 63 percent to 37 percent.

On Oahu, students voted 55 percent for Kirk Caldwell and 45 percent for Ben Cayetano for Honolulu mayor. Students on Hawaii island voted 65 percent to 35 percent for Mayor Billy Kenoi over challenger Harry Kim.

Students statewide also voted on a number of issues proposed by fellow students, ranging from whether school lunches should offer more fruits and vegetables to whether flavored tobacco products should be banned.

"If the issue were to come up," Coble said, "how cool would it be for students to go down to the Capitol and say, ‘Forty-nine thousand students are for banning flavored tobacco products.’ It would be neat."