University of Wisconsin - Extension

MADISON - Fewer than 1 in 3 young people (18 to 20 years old) voted in the last presidential election. National scores on civics knowledge showed a sharp decline from when they were last measured, according to The Christian Science Monitor. Other studies show that while young people are volunteering more, they are voting less.

Schools have responded by appointing blue ribbon panels to look into solutions. 221 college and university presidents endorsed a resolution to reaffirm citizenship as a part of higher education.

However, the organizers of a campaign to encourage young people to take more interest in government affairs believe that the simple act of taking kids along when parents go to the polls may be the most effective solution to political apathy among young voters.

The "Take Your Kids to Vote" campaign is supported by the National 4-H Council, Partnership for Trust in Government, Council for Excellence in Government, Kids Voting USA, Working Woman and 28 other organizations. State Farm Insurance has also joined the campaign as its corporate sponsor.

The campaign encourages parents to make voting a family affair, and its Web site at http://www.takeyourkidstovote.com points out that parents can have a big influence on the future voting patterns of their children.

"If parents vote regularly, their children are far more likely to vote when they become adults," the Web site points out. The campaign offers some concrete suggestions for family activities related to the elections:

• Get registered. You can't get into the voting booth unless you're registered.
• Choose an issue to follow. Pick one that affects your kids directly - the environment, or education, for example, then follow it through the media, keeping track of what is said and by whom. Talk with your children about which candidate reflects your views.
• Encourage your child to write a letter or e-mail to a candidate. Contact information for specific candidates can be found at Voter.com
• After dinner, take your family for a stroll through the neighborhood and note all the political advertising that you see. How many different campaigns can your kids identify?
• Critique the political ads. Which slogans and messages are the candidates communicating in their advertising? Ask your kids about the ads. Are they negative, warm and fuzzy, humorous or scary? Which type of ads do they remember best and why?
• Encourage your kids to talk to older members of the family about their voting histories. Who was the first presidential candidate they voted for? Who were their all-time favorite candidates, and did they win or lose?
• Take your kids with you when you go to vote. You might want to create a special "ballot" for your child to mark while you're in the voting booth.

Kids do have an interest in politics and they often have strong opinions and preferences. The children's network, Nickelodeon, surveyed kids about the 2000 presidential election. According to the network's Inside Kids newsletter, 53 percent of those surveyed believe that there should be a cap on campaign spending. Other surveys showed that kids believe that an ideal president would be caring (96%), honest (93%), kind (88%), fair (87%), smart (81%), and a good speaker (67%). And, on the question of who they believe will win, they picked Gov. George W. Bush.