[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL KIDS VOTING WEEK

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to 
recognize Kids Voting USA and its efforts to educate our children about 
civic participation, democracy, and the electoral process. Kids Voting 
USA is an organization that began in my State, but now reaches nearly 
five million students nationwide.
  What began as a fishing trip to Costa Rica by three Arizona 
businessmen has blossomed into an organization that involves 9,000 
schools, 200,000 teachers, 80,000 volunteers, and countless sponsors 
and donors. With 38 States and more than 140 communities across the 
Nation participating, Kids Voting USA teaches students from 
kindergarten through high school about the importance of civic 
participation and their rights and responsibilities as citizens. 
Through an acclaimed, interactive core of service-based curricula, 
young people gain the knowledge, skills, and motivation for democratic 
living.
  Combined with a civics education, students 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. During the last national election, more than 1.5 million 
students voted as part of the Kids Voting USA program. In last year's 
local elections students actively participated in over 114 cities, 
counties, and school districts.
  This year, National Kids Voting Week is September 11-17, and will 
coincide with the inauguration of National Civic Participation Week. It 
will be a week that highlights programs and activities that lead to 
greater participation in elections and the political process. As we 
reflect on the events of the last year, National Kids Voting Week will 
celebrate the vibrant and important Kids Voting program by focusing on 
the hopes and dreams of young citizens. I would like to recognize Kids 
Voting USA and all it has done to promote the future of democracy by 
engaging families, schools, and communities in the election 
process.

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