Santa Fe County is once again giving young people the chance to experience the voting process firsthand through its KidsVote program. The initiative aims to show them how to cast a ballot to ease anxieties about voting in the future.
Early voting is underway for the June 2nd primary and kids can now head to the polls with their parents to practice casting a ballot using real voting equipment.
Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark explained kids will cast what’s called an “ice cream ballot,” usually a fun and easy contest, like voting on their favorite day of the week. Clark said the program is also meant to help “prebunk,” or combat misinformation children may later hear about elections and voting.
“What we want is to essentially inoculate our voters against disinformation they may hear in their teenage years that would then go on to prevent them from wanting to register to vote or participating in our democratic process,” said Clark.
Clark said before KidsVote, the county had a program called “Democracy 101” and brought tabulators into elementary and high schools. She said they learned that when people practice three times to vote or vote three times, they are more likely to become lifetime voters.
“Civics seem very abstract if we’re just talking about parties and presidential campaigns,” said Clark “It was really hard for us to get across the idea that they should vote in local elections and get ready to register and how to do that.”
Clark said this program is also designed to make voting easier for parents. At polling locations, children can use their own tabulator in the same room and even get a cool “I Voted” sticker.
“We are there to support them. We want to do everything we can to make sure they vote so young kids are excited. This is kind of a fun activity, it makes voting a family oriented affair,” Clark said.
Clark said her hope for the future is getting funding to make KidsVote a program that is available for all 33 county clerks since programming the tabulators is expensive.
KidsVote is now open at the Clerk’s Office Administrative Complex and will open over the weekend at the Nancy Rodriguez Community Center.
Clark is in a competitive primary race for Secretary of State with Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin. The primary election is on June 2.
This coverage is supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation KUNM listeners like you.
