Kids agree, elect Sebelius

School-age children join parents in voting

It was Kathleen Sebelius for governor in a landslide Tuesday, with U.S. House members Jim Ryun and Dennis Moore winning re-election in the mock election held by Kids Voting of Douglas County.

The Kids Voting program allowed thousands of students to line up at more than 60 polling places to express their views on state and federal races, just like their parents.

In Kids Voting circles, the campaign for governor was primarily about future funding of public education in Kansas.

Mara McAllister, a second-grader at Deerfield School, said she believed Sebelius would do what was necessary to raise spending on schools, even if that meant raising taxes.

What McAllister thinks of adults who don’t vote: “I think they’re not doing the responsible thing.”

Sebelius, a Democrat, had 2,042 votes to Republican Tim Shallenburger’s 710 among Kids Voting participants.

August Swanson, 8, left, his mother, Cheryl, and sister, Mary Grace, 6, review the candidates in a Kids Voting booth at Deerfield School, 101 Lawrence Ave. Children and their parents turned out on Tuesday to take part in the Kids Voting campaign, a program designed to develop voting habits at an early age.

In the 2nd District race, student voters favored GOP incumbent Jim Ryun with 614 votes to Democrat Dan Lykins’ 392.

The 3rd District race had U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat, defeating Republican challenger Adam Taff. Moore had 708 votes; Taff 420.

Kids Voting is designed to help students learn about the election process, study candidates and issues, and experience Election Day. Douglas County school districts, Roger Hill Volunteer Center and the Journal-World are primary sponsors of Kids Voting in Douglas County.

Paul Stuewe, history and political science teacher at Lawrence High School, coordinated about 50 students who counted the Kids Voting ballots.

Here are the Douglas County totals in the Kids Voting program:Governor: Kathleen Sebelius, 2,042; Tim Shallenburger, 710; Dennis Hawver, 157; Ted Pettibone, 117.U.S. Senator: Pat Roberts, 1,295; George Cook, 546; Steven Rosile, 465.U.S. House (2nd District): Jim Ryun, 614; Dan Lykins, 392; Art Clack, 49.U.S. House (3rd District): Dennis Moore, 708; Adam Taff, 420; Douglas Martin, 161; Dawn Bly, 37.Secretary of state: David Haley, 842; Ron Thornburgh, 791; Charles St.-George, 108.Attorney general: Chris Biggs, 856; Phill Kline, 854.State treasurer: Sally Finney, 861; Lynn Jenkins, 857.Insurance commissioner: Sandy Praeger, 1,156; Jim Garner, 567.Kansas House (10th District): Tom Holland, 180; Ralph Tanner, 99.Kansas House (38th District): Carlie Abel, 108; Rob Boyer, 73.Kansas House (44th District): Barbara Ballard, 394.Kansas House (45th District): Tom Sloan, 467; Jeffrey Watts, 124.Kansas House (46th District): Troy Findley, 314.Kansas House (53rd District): Douglas Desch, 46; Roger Toelkes, 45.l Kansas House (59th District): Joe Humerickhouse, 35.

“I think they realize what’s at stake in the governor’s race and Senate races across the country,” he said. “I think people would be surprised. They’re pretty passionate.”

Ralph Wermy, a sixth-grader at Schwegler School, said there was one change he’d make to the Kids Voting program.

“Make our votes count,” he said.

Graham Hosking, a first-grader at Cordley School, said Kids Voting taught him it might be interesting to run for president.

“I’d be better than all the other ones because they only care about America. I’d care about all of the countries.”