Tuesday, November 02, 1999
Voting kids practice for adult habit
Own ballots are cast after careful study
BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
OXFORD — Call it a hands-on lesson in citizenship.
Laurie O'Brien, 13, left, of Oxford, and Maeve Dudle, 13, or Reily Township, use precint maps Monday to fill out mock ballots at Talawanda Middle School.
(Dick Swaim photo)
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As part of Kids Voting USA, students in the Talawanda School District will vote alongside their parents for the first time today. And while their votes won't count in the official tally, community leaders hope that the experience will help make them lifelong voters.
The Talawanda effort is the first Kids Voting program in Butler County.
“We're hoping eventually it will expand to every school district in Butler County,” said Sondra Engel, co-chairwoman of the Talawanda Kids Voting program. “Fairfield, Madison Township and Hamilton are considering the program but are waiting to see our results.”
Kids Voting USA began in 1988 in Arizona. It has spread to 42 states, and started in Hamilton County in 1996 and in Clermont County the following year.
Volunteers from those counties worked with Ms. Engel, Prue Zimmerman and other Oxford-area citizens to launch the program in the Talawanda schools and in Oxford's McGuffey Foundation School.
“Kids Voting grew out of a desire to combat the increasing problem of voter apathy in the United States, and its mission is to educate children regarding the democratic process and to promote voter participation,” said Sue Craig, chairwoman of Kids Voting in Clermont County.
Kids Voting starts in the classroom. Kindergartners learn about making decisions and the right to vote. Sixth-grade students learn the history of women's suffrage, discuss why some people don't vote, and study issues on the ballot. High school students talk about propaganda, majority rule and the role of the media in campaigns.
Brian McInerney, a Talawanda Middle School social studies teacher, invited candidates to speak to his students.
Ginny Paternite plans to guide her eighth-graders through the process of registering to vote, finding their polling places on amap, and filling out sample ballots that they may take to the polls.
“We'll talk about what to look for in candidates, and discuss the issues,” Ms. Paternite said. “Besides the issues on the official ballot, the Kids Voting ballot contains three issues just for students, one of which is school uniforms.”
Each community sponsoring Kids Voting must raise money for the program, Ms. Engel said. The cost is $1.50 per child, which pays for lesson materials, ballots and supplies.
It's sometimes hard for communities to find the money, but program officials believe the results are worth the investment.
“A recent study by Dr. Steven Chaffee of Stanford University has shown that adult voter turnout has increased as much as 10 percent where Kids Voting occurs regularly,” said Marcia Luken, executive director of Kids Voting USA, Southwestern Ohio.
“We believe that our kids have established a habit of voting that will continue into adulthood,” Ms. Craig said.
“The kids don't want their parents to interfere with how they vote,” said Jane Sonenshein, volunteer coordinator for Clermont County's program. “One 5-year-old decided she would not vote for any candidate that did not smile for the official photo.”
In Warren County, the Springboro Community City Schools implemented Kids Voting, but only during national elections.
“We're looking forward to doing it again; it was a very successful program,” said Jim Bachus, the district's director of support services.
Eric Kogge is excited about the opportunity to vote.
“We're going after school,” the Maud Marshall School fourth-grader said. He has accompanied his parents to the polls, but this time he's prepared to make his own choices.
The class has reviewed the candidates and issues, Eric said.
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