• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Friday, September 29, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Kids Voting readies next generation for democracy

by Dwight Hobbes
October 25, 2016
4
SHARES
87
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Volunteers are needed to make it work

kidsvotingmn
Photo courtesy of Kids Voting Mpls GiveMN page

Barack Obama’s presidency is, if nothing else, proof positive the Black vote is a powerful force, capable, in fact, of making history. Accordingly, that proof is evidence enlightening today’s youth, tomorrow’s voters, encouraging them to learn the electoral process is an idea whose time inarguably has come.

Considering the limits of passionate, deeply committed protest in realizing social change, working within the system increasingly is an imperative. Toward this end, consider the initiative Kids Voting Minneapolis (www.kidsvotingminneapolis.org) a community-based nonprofit designed to engage youth, grades K-12, in that critical aspect of life decision-making.

Coordinating with Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minneapolis City Elections Department, Kids Voting Minneapolis, part of the national network Kids Voting USA, states as its mission “to foster an educated and engaged electorate by partnering with schools and families to enrich the civic education of…students and to prepare them to be informed voters. [It] provides civics-based classroom lessons and activities at no cost to all interested schools.”

Far from leaving it an academic issue, KVM places personnel on-site at Minneapolis precinct polling locations to give direct, hands-on help for youngsters. Results to date are impressive. The website documents, among other statistics, a few key facts: The program is effective for students from low-income households, counter to the misconception that voting is a class-based privilege instead of a basic right for all. There is a strong correlation between student participation and 18-year-old, first-time voters exercising said right.

Even adult voting is impacted as communities with Kid Voting programs see as much as a three to five percent increase in adult turnout. It also attests, “Volunteering on Election Day for Kids Voting Minneapolis does three important things:

- ADVERTISEMENT -

1) Shows your parents that they need to go to the polls, too.

2) Shows younger people how important it is for them to vote.

3) Shows the entire community what they might expect from your generation when you turn 18 and are of legal voting age.”

KVM volunteer coordinator Jennifer Nilsen notes, “Kids Voting has been growing since [its inception in] 2004. “In the 2008 Presidential Election we had about 7,600 students vote.” That significant number increased still further the next time around. “In 2012 we had over 14,000 Minneapolis kids take part. We were able to have students in the schools that were polling places vote during the school day.

“Many of those schools are located in communities with large enrollments of students of color,” continues Nilsen. “We always try to increase the number of students of color who vote by recruiting as many volunteers as possible from community groups traditionally under-represented in voting and by doing outreach to those community groups. Kids Voting Minneapolis tries to take the mystery out of voting in the hopes that students become future voters.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Indeed, the student ballot contains many of the same candidates and issues as the adult ballot. Nilsen also encourages parents and guardians, when they vote November 8, to bring their children along to learn by example.

“The importance of democracy, taking part in the political process, we want to give them the authentic voting experience, a true understanding of it,” says Nilsen. “They can fill out their own [mock] ballots, choose who they want to vote for.”

“Kids Voting Minneapolis needs 400 community volunteers who staff the 130 city precinct polling places to assist students as they vote,” continues Nilsen. “We will be at all the polls on Election Day and are in need of volunteers for Nov. 8. This is a wonderful, one-time volunteer opportunity plus a one-hour training session. The Election Day shifts are three hours — 2-5 pm or 5-8 pm.”

Integral to this important effort is community participation, volunteers stepping up to pitch in and help out. After all, it is one thing that this fundamental, nuts-and-bolts — not to mention highly effective — project is offered to increase voter turnout. It is crucial, though, that communities carry their share of the weight to empower youngsters to empower themselves.

Volunteers can register at www.kidsvotingminneapolis.org.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

 

Dwight Hobbes welcomes reader responses to P.O. Box 50357, Mpls., 55403.

 

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Prince’s Paisley Park now a permanent museum

Next Post

Reuse Minnesota launches website during membership celebration

Dwight Hobbes

Dwight Hobbes is a contributing writer at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. He can be reached at dhobbes@spokesman-recorder.com.

You Might Also Like

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs
Go Green

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team
Sports

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team

College athletes need help negotiating NIL deals
Sports

College athletes need help negotiating NIL deals

Southside group attempts to rebuild trust in police
Local

Southside group attempts to rebuild trust in police

Employment

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) is Hiring!

Linemen lead St. Paul Central past city rival
Sports

Linemen lead St. Paul Central past city rival

Next Post

Reuse Minnesota launches website during membership celebration

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 29
7:30 pm-9:30 pm Recurring

Ayodele Casel Rooted

Sep 30
9:00 am-1:00 pm Recurring

Cars and Caves

Sep 30
10:00 am-12:00 pm

dem Blessings for Parents: A Morning of Creative Nourishment with Sharon Bridgforth

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: