Mock elections will set up kids for lifetime of voting

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

STUDENTS from eight Gisborne and East Coast schools will hold mock elections in September through the Electoral Commission’s Kids Voting programme.

The students from Hatea-a-Rangi School, Tolaga Bay Area School, Gisborne Girls’ High School, Makauri School, Te Karaka Area School, Rere School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whatatutu and Campion College are among more than 100,000 students from 541 schools already registered for Kids Voting.

More schools are expected to sign up before the general election in September.

Three years ago, only 78,000 students from 556 schools participated in a similar project during the general election.

“The large number of early registrations shows schools are keen to give their students an opportunity to learn about the electoral process,” says chief electoral officer Alicia Wright.

Kids Voting provides schools with the resources needed for students to run a mock election.

Students learn about and vote for real candidates and parties, then compare the results with the outcome of the general election.

“It’s a practical way to show students how our electoral system works,” says Ms Wright.

“It helps them understand the process and get ready to vote when they turn 18.

“Voting is a lifelong habit.

“The earlier young people start to vote, the more likely they are to keep voting,” she says.

“That’s why civic education is so important, and why we have developed Kids Voting and curriculum aligned teaching units for schools.”

About half the schools taking part in Kids Voting are primary and intermediate schools, and about half secondary schools.

It can be run on a small or large scale, from one or two classes to the whole school.

“It’s great fun for students and teachers and some schools go all-out,” says Ms Wright.

“Over the years we’ve seen some schools hosting candidate debates for their electorate, and others forming student branches of political parties and developing their own campaign material.”