Kids Voting: International Origin, National Success

Kids Voting Executive Director,
Anne Raybon. Photos courtesy of Kids Voting Buncombe County.

by Johnnie Grant

According to the history of Kids Voting USA, three businessmen from Arizona traveled to Costa Rica on a fishing trip in 1988 and landed much more than fish.

The big catch was the precursor to Kids Voting USA. These three founders of Kids Voting learned that voter turnout is routinely 90 percent in Costa Rica – the highest voter turnout rate in the western hemisphere.

The law in Costa Rica mandates voting, but it is not enforced. Instead, Costa Ricans attribute high voter turnout to their tradition of children accompanying mom and dad to the polls. Youths learn early the importance of voting in a democracy. As a result, Costa Ricans believe their form of government is well preserved for the future.

Today,
Kids Voting USA is the only program of its kind that enables students
to visit official polling sites on Election Day, accompanied by parent
or guardian, to cast a ballot similar in content to the official
ballot. Kids Voting USA teaches youth – through family participation
and community involvement – the importance of being informed and the
responsibilities of voting.

In Buncombe
County, the Kids Voting organization is dedicated to securing the
future of democracy by involving youth in the electoral process. Kids
Voting gets students involved and ready to be educated and engaged
citizens. Students learn about democracy through a combination of
classroom activities, authentic voting experience, and family dialogue.

In 2005,
according to Kids Voting Executive Director Anne Raybon, a mock
candidate’s forum involving candidate running for office was held at
Vance Elementary School. Among the most pressing issues for these young
students were police protection and water issues. Leslie Anderson and
Virgil Smith, two of the founders of Kids Voting-Buncombe County,
facilitated the forum.

The Kids Voting USA Network of state organizations is growing fast, presently reaching:

•    40 states plus the District of Columbia

•    5 million students

•    200,000 teachers

•    6,000 schools

•    100,000 volunteers

•    16,000 voter precincts.

“Nearly 30,000
students have voted through Kids Voting in Buncombe County since 2000,
and we want to continue to keep our youth involved. Our need this year
is for responsible high school students throughout Buncombe County to
serve as precinct captains,” says Raybon. “We want to make sure the
tradition of Kids Voting keeps going and growing.”

For more
information about Kids Voting Buncombe County or to volunteer, contact
Anne Raybon at 828-250-4231, or visit the website:
www.kidsvotingbc.org.