Kids Voting Arizona Media Resources
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About Kids Voting Arizona
From September 30 through November 2, 2004, 143,936 young people under 18 voted through Kids Voting Arizona. Kids Voting Arizona provides far more than the means for young people to vote, we provide teachers throughout Arizona with an in-depth civics curriculum for every grade level. This curriculum is available both online, through www.kidsvotingaz.org, and on CD-ROM. Teachers love the fact that these free, hands on lesson plans meet the standards outlined in the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies as well as state curriculum standards for social studies. The 1960 race for President between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy shows us why our vote counts; the margin of victory averaged just one vote per precinct. The 2000 Presidential race also gives us dramatic evidence of our individual importance in the voting process. Abraham Lincoln accurately stated that, The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the Government of the next. Because adults significantly influence the future voting behavior of young people, we are handing the baton of democracy to them by instilling life-long voting habits and civic responsibility. In short, we are ensuring their freedom. According to a post-election poll for the 2000 Presidential election, 80% of all registered voters and 94% of all registered voters with children attending schools were aware of Kids Voting. In addition, 94% of all registered voters and 91% of all parents with kids of school age, had a favorable impression of the program. Kids Voting was founded in 1988 by three businessmen from the East Valley. During a trip to Costa Rica they experienced the commotion of the country's national election. The men learned that 90-95% of that country voted. As they considered the amazing turnout, they noted that children accompanied their parents to the polls. The men realized together that children were vital for increasing voter turnout. They put together the first year's pilot program of 60,000 students, and within two years we had expanded to a statewide program with 650,000 students participating. Additional sponsors came on board, and Kids Voting became two separate organizations: Kids Voting Arizona and Kids Voting USA. Kids Voting USA would go on to expand the program throughout the United States. Kids Voting Arizona Impacts (all) 227 school districts, (all) 2,000+ polling sites throughout Arizona, and over 2,000 of Arizona's public, charter, private, home and special needs schools. All together, this collective effort reached nearly 1 million students statewide. Kids Voting is not only successful in Arizona. In Kansas, the Secretary of State along with the University of Kansas maintain that eligible 18-year-old Kids Voting participants vote at a rate 14 percentage points higher than non-participants. Nationally, Kids Voting reaches 4.3 million students, 200,000 teachers in 10,600 schools, 50 affiliate organizations in 28 states and 17,000 voter precincts. This year long with online voting, every polling location statewide will carry (K-12) student ballots. Since 1988, Kids Voting Arizona remains committed to cultivating lifelong voting habits with the additional benefit of increasing adult voter turnout. Kids Voting Arizona also provides a comprehensive civics curriculum for every grade level, meeting the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. By teaching the next generation of Arizona youth civic involvement, democracy, and solid decision making skills, Kids Voting Arizona strives to instill lifelong voting habits in our participants. |