Overview of the Kids Voting Program

Kids Voting USA is a national non-partisan, non-profit program in which students in grades K-12 study portions of special KVUSA grade specific citizenship activities and then go to the polls with their parents or other adults on Election Day to cast ballots on the same candidates and issues as the adult voters. Kids Voting Missouri is one of 30 affiliate programs in the United States. (For more information see http://www.kidsvotingusa.org)

Missouri joined Kids Voting USA in 1996, when 4 Missouri school districts participated in the program. The Ritenour School District, located in Northwest St. Louis County, was the first St. Louis area school district to participate. Since that time, Kids Voting Missouri has grown to include students in many parts of the state.

For the 2010 November election, Kids Voting Missouri expects close to 200,000 K-12 students throughout the St. Louis Metro area to participate. School districts, charter schools, and educational institutions, will have the opportunity to participate in the off-year elections.

NOTE: For the first time in Missouri history, there is no incumbenent running for the open United States Senate seat!

Beginning in August 2010, participating students will engage in activities to learn about citizenship, the history of voting, the candidates, and the issues.

From the start of school in 2010 through October 6th, all students in grades K-12 will be asked to "practice" registering to vote by filling out  a special student voter registration card. 

Early October 2010. Students will have an opportunity to learn about the candidates and issues appearing on the 2010 Kids Voting Missouri ballot.  Note:  Missouri is only 1 of 13 states that does not vote for Governor in November 2010.

Going Green...For Election 2010, Kids Voting Missouri will join other Kids Voting USA affiliates in using the new on-line voter program called "Doubleclick Democracy."  With a click of the mouse, students in grades 4-12 will vote for the same candidates and issues as the adult voters.  K-3 student voters will also get to vote in "Doubleclick Democracy" but they will have a special Kids Voting Missouri ballot that is tied to the GLE's.

Going Green for 2010 saves more than 250,000 sheets of paper and also saves more than $30,000 in costs.

When Is Election Day? For Election 2010, Kids Voting Missouri will "experiment" with early voting. Voting will begin on Tuesday, October 26 and continue until Tuesday, November 2, 2010 (excluding the weekend). Election Results for most of Kids Voting Missouri will be posted online at www.kidsvotingmissouri.org or a link provided for the results.

WHO'S WHO?

Dr. Wolfgang Althof, the Teresa M. Fishcer Professor of Citizenship Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is the Executive Director of CECH and co-director of UMSL's Center for Character and Citizenship.  Dr. Althof provides leadership and support for the two CECH programs--Kids Voting Missouri and MY LOGO--Missouri Youth Engaged in Local Government.

NOTE: Citizenship Education Clearing House or CECH (pronounced "check") has conducted programs in civic education since the 1960's. CECH's programs provide students a real-life experience in the political process, with the expectation that "learning the system" will encourage them to participate in politics when they become adults.

Sandy Diamond, M.Ed. is the former Newspapers in Education (NIE) Coordinator for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and is also the former Hazelwood School District government teacher.  Sandy serves as the Director of Kids Voting Missouri and has been with the program since June 1999.  She also serves as the Program Director for MY LOGO.

Funding for Election 2010 has been provided by the St. Louis Rams, St. Louis Cardinals, Vantage Credit Union, Schnucks, and the CECH Endowment.  A special thank you goes to Gary Kodner and Peggy Nehmen (www.n-kcreative.com) for their tremendous support of Kids Voting Missouri.

To make a contribution to Kids Voting Missouri.

Please contact Sandy Diamond at

314-516-6823 (campus phone)

sdiamond@umsl.edu (email)

Checks should be paid payable to the University of Missouri-St. Louis and sent to Sandy's attention at:

UM-St. Louis/356 Marillac Hall

One University Blvd

St. Louis, MO 63121