Kids Voting
Minneapolis
A community-based,
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to prepare Minneapolis’ 50,000 K-12
students to be educated, informed voters.
Part of a national
network of independent local affiliates, Kids Voting Minneapolis combines civic
learning in the classroom, family dialogue at home, and an authentic voting
experience to prepare the next generation of citizens.
Our mission:
To foster an
educated and engaged electorate by partnering with schools and families to
enrich the civic education of Minneapolis K-12 students and to prepare them to
be informed voters.
How we work:
We provide civics-based kindergarten-12th grade lessons and
activities at no cost to schools. Students learn about the right to vote, democracy, civic responsibility and the
importance of participation in the voting process.
Then on Election Day learn those lessons first-hand with an authentic
voting experience. Students accompany parents or teachers to their polling
place and cast a Kids Voting ballot, voting on many of the same candidates and
issues that adults do.
This simple act takes
the mystery out of the voting process and instills in students a feeling of
pride, accomplishment and responsibility that will stay with them into adulthood.
Why it matters:
·
Long-term influence: There is a
consistent and robust influence of the program after the passage of 12 months
·
Closing the socioeconomic gap: The
program is especially effective for students from low-income households
·
18-year-old voters: There’s a strong
correlation between student participation in Kids Voting and subsequent
registration and voting among first-time voters
What we’ve
accomplished:
·
14,000
students cast ballots at 110 precincts & 4 charter schools in the 2012
Presidential Election
·
7,600
students cast ballots at 131 precincts polling locations in the 2008
Presidential Election
·
4,425 students cast ballots at 94 precincts in
the 2006 Mid-Term Election
Get involved:
Minneapolis
students vote at polling locations staffed by Kids Voting volunteers. Community
support is critical to the success of our program and we are grateful for the
hundreds of volunteers who continue to make Kids Voting Minneapolis possible.
We also need your
financial support! To make a financial contribution, or volunteer, please
contact President Judy Farmer at 612-379-7429 or judylfarmer@gmail.com.
Get involved in
your community with Kids
Voting Minneapolis!
|
What: Help kids experience the
democratic process at a young age. You’ll hand out ballots, explain the voting
process, and distribute I VOTED stickers.
Where: Kids Voting will be at ~130
polling places across Minneapolis so we need lots of volunteers! We will do our
best to schedule you at a polling place that is close to your home/work.
When: 3 hours on Election Day—November
8, 2016. A one-hour training will take place before Election Day.
Why: When kids can have an authentic
voting experience at an early age, they are more likely to vote when they reach
legal voting age. This one-time commitment can significantly increase civic
engagement in our community. Many volunteers return because they enjoy the
experience!
If you want to
help Kids Voting Minneapolis in our mission to foster an educated and engaged
electorate to enrich the civic education of Minneapolis K-12 students and to
prepare them to be informed voters, here's what you can do:
1) Volunteer at a polling place
on Election Day—Nov. 8—for a three hour shift
(2:00-5:00 pm or
5:00-8:00 pm) helping kids navigate their voting experience. ANYONE AGES 16 AND
UP IS ENCOURAGED TO VOLUNTEER!
2)
SHARE this information—if
you can't volunteer maybe your friends can!
3)
If you are willing to volunteer, contact our volunteer
coordinator, Jennifer, by email at mplskidsvoting@gmail.com
