Kids get taste of election process

Kris Hill

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2000 | 9:04 a.m.

Vicki Dando, a fifth grade teacher at C.P. Squires Elementary School, went to vote Tuesday morning but headed to work instead after deciding the line was too long.

She arrived at school only to find yet another line of people waiting to vote -- the students.

Children lined up before school outside a classroom that had been converted into a polling place for Election Day. Students spent the morning in groups of five or six voting at mini voting booths set up on tables next to the grownup's real voting booths.

Local schoolchildren have been learning about the election process over the past few weeks through classroom activities and lessons provided by the local chapter of KidsVoting USA.

More than 75,000 children in 77 local schools ranging from first graders to high schoolers have been learning about the candidates and issues.

Younger children voted on candidates, while the middle and high school students also considered initiatives such as Question 2.

One of the goals of KidsVoting USA is for the students to educate their parents as well as encourage their moms and dads to vote.

After watching the news with his parents in recent weeks, Ricardo Cardenas, a fifth grader at C.P. Squires, talked with his parents about the issues, he said. Both his parents voted early.

After submitting his ballot -- which, unlike the regular ballot, had pictures above the name of each candidate -- Cardenas put a sticker on his shirt that said "I Voted!" picked out a piece of candy from a bowl and went back to class.

KidsVoting officials also hope that children will become active voters in the future.

KidVoting USA was established in 1988. It began in Clark County two years ago as part of the Channel 8 Community Pride program with 36 area schools participating.

At least 15,000 Las Vegas youth were expected to vote, Cynthia Dunn, community affairs director at Channel 8 and executive director of KidsVoting in Las Vegas, said.

After voting, students will wait to find out the results of the election.

"Hopefully they'll recognize the power and importance of voting," Dando said.

Dando planned to cast her vote right after school.