Arizona Kids Cast Votes in Special Election

May 27, 2010
Contact: Lara Slifko 602-340-7235
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NEARLY 9,000 STUDENTS CAST THEIR VOTE IN KIDS VOTING ARIZONA ELECTION
 
[Phoenix, AZ] On May 18, 2010, over 8,800 Arizona students voted in the 2010 Kids Voting Arizona Special Election! Students across the state were given the opportunity to vote for or against Proposition 100, just like their parents and adults throughout Arizona. With this huge turnout, this election was the largest non-general election ever held by Kids Voting Arizona!
 
In this special election, students had the opportunity to vote online and via Early Voting for two weeks prior to the election. Teachers were able to download election-specific curriculum as well as Voter ID cards and other instructional resources. 
 
Arizona students voted overwhelmingly in favor of Proposition 100, with 75% of the vote.
 
After voting online, students were given the opportunity to partake in a voluntary survey. 95% of the students that completed the survey planned to vote in future elections as adults!
 
The names of the students were kept anonymous but some students left additional comments about their experience as a voter. In talking about how it felt to cast a vote, a student said the following: “It felt good, and like I had a voice that was heard. Just ‘cause we’re young doesn’t mean we don’t have something to say.” Another student mentioned, “[it felt] like I had a say in our state’s future. If we are in trouble, then just let us (the kids) tell you our opinion or let us vote.”
 
For more Kids Voting Arizona election results visit www.kidsvotingaz.org
 
About Kids Voting Arizona
Kids Voting Arizona is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-driven voter education program. As an organization, Kids Voting Arizona is committed to creating lifelong voting habits in children and increasing adult voter turnout. Through the Kids Voting Arizona program, Arizona is leading the fight against voter apathy. Kids Voting Arizona is administered through a partnership with the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education.
 
About the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education
The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education provides technical and financial assistance to legal aid organizations, schools and community groups. The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education promotes “Access to Justice for All Arizonans” by supporting law-related education and free legal services and by promoting statewide collaborative efforts. The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education plays a leading role in preparing Arizona students for civic responsibility. The Foundation reaches more than 100,000 children each year by training teachers, school resource officers and probation officers about our laws, justice system and the foundations of democracy. It is also home of LawForKids.org, America’s first Web site dedicated to teaching students about the law.
 
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