What qualities should a president have?

With all the talk lately about who should be president, we decided to ask students at a couple of Lawrence schools what qualities they think a president should have.

Here’s what they had to say.

Students at West Junior High School

Joey Murphy, seventh-grader: “Good leadership. It shows that they understand what’s going on and how people are thinking.”

Stephen Fulton, seventh-grader: “A good leader with affordable policies that benefit the economy, tax cuts. I watched a debate, and that’s all they talked about. I’d like a president that doesn’t make a (presidential opponent) look bad.”

Nickolas Pippert, seventh-grader: “I think they have to be intelligent on the economy, foreign oil. No manipulation (in the campaigns).”

Allison Burgess, seventh-grader: “I think that they definitely should have a family that is close to them. And they have to have a sense of humor. They should be an all-American family. I think that’s really important.”

Students at Pinckney School

Molly Weisgrau, sixth-grader: “I think someone who is responsible and really wants to help the country progress.”

Samantha Grinage, sixth-grader: “I think what makes a good president is caring about the environment and really knowing what you’re doing”

Jessica Grinage, fifth-grader: “I think it’s good if your president wants to help America and is an American, and then he knows what he’s doing.”

Q&A about Kids Voting

Q: What ages can vote?

A: Any student who isn’t of legal voting age, anywhere from pre-k to 12th grade.

Q: When can student vote?

A: Kids Voting polls are open before and after school. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Q: Where can kids vote?

A: Kids can vote at almost any polling site in Douglas County. Ten sites have been closed and students will be redirected to a nearby site to vote.

The closed sites, with alternate sites in parentheses, are Douglas County Senior Center (Lawrence Public Library), Burge Union (Schwegler School), First Presbyterian Church (Holcom Recreation Center), Central United Methodist Church (Central Junior High School), Cornerstone Southern Baptist Church (Lawrence High School Annex), Checkers Foods (Lawrence High School Annex), Babcock Place (Central Junior High School), Lawrence Heights Christian Church (USD 497 Administrative Building), Eudora Recreation Center (Eudora City Hall and Eudora Township Fire Station), Grant Elementary School (Union Pacific Depot/Visitors Center), Baldwin City Fire Station (American Legion and Baldwin Elementary), Wakarusa North Fire Station (The Windsor).

Q: Do the Kids Voting ballots “count?”

A: The don’t count toward the election for those 18 and older, but the votes will be tallied and reported to the local media. The Douglas County votes will be shared with Kids Voting Kansas in Topeka, who compiles the state information, and will share it with Kids Voting USA in Washington, D.C.

Q: Who will the kids be able to vote for?

A: Kids through fourth grade will vote for president only. Grades 5 through 8 will also vote for Congressional members. High school students will have ballots that resemble the 18 and older ballots.