Election day is almost here, and in keeping with the
political theme, I decided to explore what public libraries are doing to help
youth become interested in the political process. I came across this article
from the Denver Post detailing the efforts of the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public
Library (located in Broomfield, Colorado) in teaching kids about the importance
of voting. Young children can cast their votes for their favorite stuffed
animals as well as their favorite types of books. Teens, meanwhile, are able to
vote for their preferred presidential candidate in somewhat more realistic mock
election. The Broomfield Election Division even lent real voting booths to the
library to add an air of authenticity to the experience.
Based on the article, it seems as though the children are
having fun and learning a lot in the process, which is always an important part of youth
programs. This particular program also allows the kids to relate to their
parents by having them cast their votes in a mock election. And I am of the
opinion that it’s never too early to teach youth about the importance of voting
and participating in the political process. I’m glad the librarians at the Mamie Doud Eisenhower
Public Library feel the same way.
We had a mock election when I was in elementary school in 1996! I was in first grade and I remember I voted for Bill Clinton and Al Gore. I had a blast and was so proud of myself because I thought, for some reason, my vote would actually count. I found out later that day that I had to be 18 or older in order for my vote to truly count...but hey, Clinton and Gore won the schoolwide election and the actual election...s it was all good.
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