Quail Run sixth-grader Klaire Sarver makes her selections at a Kids Voting location at Langston Hughes Elementary School on Tuesday voting Nov. 2, 2010.
A group of International visitors watch Kids Voting at Hillcrest Elementary School on Tuesday Nov 2, 2010.
Like thousands of their mentors filing into polling places throughout Lawrence, dozens of budding voters endorsed plans Tuesday for an expanded Lawrence Public Library.
In unofficial balloting conducted through Kids Voting Douglas County, 543 Lawrence students in grades five through 12 voted 62.8 percent to 37.2 percent to approve the library’s $18 million expansion plan.
Registered voters were slightly less enthusiastic in their approval of the measure, 55 percent to 45 percent.
The youthful enthusiasm didn’t come as a surprise to those who have been there, done that.
“Kids use the library more than adults,” said Kiely Mosiman, a Lawrence High School senior who joined more than 50 schoolmates who volunteered Tuesday evening to compile results. “And when you’re a kid, your first instinct is to vote ‘yes.’”
In all, 1,878 youngsters — from preschool up through high school — cast unofficial ballots at 46 polling sites in Douglas County. Kids Voting has been alive in the county for 10 elections now, since 1992.
All students voted for governor, while many older students’ ballots included the same questions as everyone else’s, right down to retention of judges and township clerks.
Among votes cast for candidates in selected races for Kids Voting Douglas County:
• Governor: Tom Holland, 1,024; Sam Brownback, 457.
• U.S. Senate: Lisa Johnston, 398; Jerry Moran, 319.
• U.S. Representative, 2nd District: Lynn Jenkins, 150; Cheryl Hudspeth, 89.
• U.S. Representative, 3rd District: Stephene Moore, 260; Kevin Yoder, 178.
• Kansas Attorney General: Steve Six, 437; Derek Schmidt, 189.
• Kansas Secretary of State: Chris Biggs, 336; Kris Kobach, 212.
• Lawrence Public Library expansion: yes, 341; no, 202.
• Kansas House, 45th District: Tom Sloan, 154; Linda Robinson, 132.
• Douglas County Commission, 1st District: Mike Gaughan, 46; Arch Naramore, 22.
Comments
Clevercowgirl 3 years, 5 months ago
BTW, the real significance of kids voting, in my opinion, is teaching them to vote. Far too many parents don't vote.
Chris Golledge 3 years, 5 months ago
It'll be a day of pride when my kids and I have a reasoned argument/disagreement over who we vote for.
Nikki May 3 years, 5 months ago
We did the presidential elections last time at a preschool, just to see what they thought. Many don't vote with their parents. We gave them the pictures and names. Read the names to them things like that. Interestingly, a lot of 3rd parties got picked. Some kids based it on name sound, some on what they are wearing (I'll never forget a kid saying, "I'll vote for him because I like his tie".) And of course some voted based on the names they knew - and some said, "I'm going for this guy because my mom likes him". Unfortunately there are adults who vote like kids. Including those that voted republican. I know adult women who will vote for someone because their husband said it's the best candidate. ALL voters need to think.
Our kids don't know who we voted for at our house. I'm sure at presidential time we talk about it, but we really didn't do a lot of discussing this time around.
think_about_it 3 years, 5 months ago
So in reality the voters of Lawrence vote like children. Good thing the rest of the state are adults.
David Teska 3 years, 5 months ago
We wished we'd known where the Kids Voting was conducted. Thinking it was at our polling place, a local church, our kids were disappointed when it wasn't set up there; we were told by a polling official it was only at schools (and don't know if that is correct). It's a great program all kids should have an opportunity to experience.
bobberboy 3 years, 5 months ago
that just goes to show - kansans really don't become any wiser as the age.
Clevercowgirl 3 years, 5 months ago
No surprise here. A teacher friend told me this long ago: if you ask kids to vote, you will find out who their parents voted for. What's a polite word for duh?
fan4kufootball 3 years, 5 months ago
It appears that the kids votes matched the Douglas County voting - not the state of Kansas as a whole.
topflight 3 years, 5 months ago
Good thing they still have time to grow out of that democrat stage. But with as much liberal crap as the lawrence urinal world feeds them, its no wonder.
Nikki May 3 years, 5 months ago
Everything else was completely different. Compare and contrast. It's one of those things they learn in grade school. Looks like kids are democrats.
Roland Gunslinger 3 years, 5 months ago
OK, so their votes closely resembled adult ballot result on the library issue... everything else- not so much.
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