[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16369]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       NATIONAL KIDS VOTING WEEK

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to recognize Kids 
Voting USA and its efforts to educate our children about civic 
democracy and the importance of being an informed voter.
  The program began in 1988 with three Arizona businessmen on a fishing 
trip to Costa Rica. They learned that voter turnout in that country was 
routinely about 80 percent. This high turnout was attributed to a 
tradition of children accompanying their parents to the polls. The men 
observed first-hand the success Costa Rica had achieved by instilling 
in children at an early age the importance of active participation and 
voting.
  The three Arizona businessmen took this idea back to the United 
States and founded Kids Voting USA. Today, this nonprofit, nonpartisan 
organization reaches 5 million students in 39 States, and includes 
200,000 teachers, and 20,000 voter precincts.
  With voter turnout declining each year, Kids Voting USA recognizes 
the need to educate our youth and instill in them the responsibility to 
be active, informed citizens and voters. By teaching the skills for 
democratic living year-round, students receive a civics education and 
participate in local and national elections in communities across the 
country. Kids Voting USA enables students to visit official polls on 
election day, accompanied by a parent or guardian, to cast a ballot 
that replicates the official ballot. Although not a part of the 
official results, the students' votes are registered at schools and by 
the media.
  This year, National Kids Voting Week is September 24-28. It is a week 
when Kids Voting communities across the country celebrate this vibrant 
and important program. I would like to recognize Kids Voting USA and 
all its has done to promote the future of democracy by engaging young 
people, schools and communities in the election process.

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