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Local youths urged to cast vote
On election day, local students are encouraged to accompany their parents to the polls.
Each student from kindergarten to 12th grade can participate in the Kids Voting Kansas project by casting his or her vote for the candidate of his or her choice.
According to Bourbon County Clerk Joanne Long, this year's election will be the third in which local youth have been invited to take part. Although the votes of area youth do not count as official votes, they will be tallied. According to Long, each election poll will be equipped with special voting booths for area youth to participate in the general election.
The special youth ballots will be tailored to fit the student's age. According to Long, the ballots for the younger students will include pictures of the candidates next to the candidates' names for easy candidate identification. The ballots created for the older students, while similar to an adult ballot, will have distinct differences which will separate it from the official ballot. According to Long, all youth ballots will include the Kids Voting Kansas logo.
Eugene Ware Elementary principal Billie Jo Drake, said teaching students about the election process will help teach children the value of voting in elections in addition to the responsibility of Americans to do so. Teachers in the local school district will be preparing students for the November election through classroom activities, according to a letter sent home with Winfield Scott Elementary students.
"Following classroom instructions about the rights, responsibilities and mechanics of voting, students in grades K-12 actually go to the polls on Election Day and vote alongside their parents or guardians," the letter said. "The result is an increase in voter education and participation by voters of all ages."
According to Long, Kids Voting Kansas is not only a way to get area youth involved in voting, but it is also a way to create excitement about voting, which could in turn result in a larger voter turn-out. If children learn to vote while they are young, Long said, when they turn 18, hopefully they will want to be involved in the voting process.
According to Kids Voting Kansas, www.kidsvotingkansas.org, the program, which is an affiliate of Kids Voting USA, began in 1992. The first year it was conducted in Kansas, only six communities were involved with the program. Now, 55 communities and 230,000 students participate in the program.
According to Long, any adult who is unsure if he or she is registered can go to the Kansas Secretary of State Web site, www.voteks.org, to check on his or her voter registration. In addition, adults can access various 2008 general election links offered on the Bourbon County Web site, www.bourboncountyks.org. All residents who wish to participate in the general election must be registered by Oct. 20. For questions regarding voter registration, contact Long at (620) 223-3800.