Many Louisville Free Public Library branches are hosting teen election parties this Tuesday, November 6. The parties are geared toward teens and the theme encourages them to let their voice be heard. The question begs, how would you vote if you could? What a great asset to our kids to introduce voting to them and let them know how important it is to cast and use your American right to voice your opinion.
In a year in which the Presidency seat is in a grueling 50/50 dead heat, this election year proves every vote will count; giving kids a concrete example that their vote matters when they turn 18 is important. When I worked at the library, we held mock elections for teens as well as elementary kids and they always enjoyed the process. I would set up real voting booths so they would be ensured that their vote would be private. The library staff works to get ballots with the actual names of candidates who are running so it does feel extremely real to the kids. Librarians tally up the votes and make announcements on which candidates won at each library.
Many libraries who are participating are offering incentives for coming in and voting such as cookies and cupcakes to the first 25 or 50 voters or pencils for each voter. Teens love to partake in real life situations in which they feel like an adult, so let your kid know about the mock elections. Each event lists it as appropriate for teens ages 12-17. Here is the library branch location schedule:
Fairdale Library, 10-6pm
Shawnee Library, 10-6pm
St. Matthews Library, 10-6pm
Main Library, 12-6pm
Highlands/Shelby Park Library, 1-6pm
Jeffersontown Library, 2:30-6pm
Okolona Library, 2:30-4:30pm
Iroquois Library, 3:30-4:40pm
Kids who are younger can check out these websites for some information about voting.
National Student Mock Election
See the results broken down by state of the Scholastic Student Vote 2012.
And kids can vote for their choice of President of the United States in the TIME for Kids poll here.
Photo Courtesy of Kids Voting USA, Facebook
