Kids Voting gives voice to the young

TICKS: Masterton Intermediate School student Toni Carter, 13, checks the boxes as part of the Kids Voting scheme.

More than 1500 Wairarapa students at a dozen schools across the region have been casting classroom ballots ahead of New Zealand going to the polls this weekend.

Richard Thornton, Electoral Commission communications and education advisor, said a record-breaking 78,000 students will this year have gone to faux polls as part of the Kids Voting programme, which was first rolled out in the 2008 general election.

Auckland Council originally introduced Kids Voting for the 2002 local government elections, Mr Thornton said, and numerous councils had since run the scheme as well.

Kids Voting and the commission's curriculum-aligned teaching units were developed to "help schools deliver engaging activities to encourage students' understanding and enthusiasm for participating in their communities and the voting process", chief electoral officer Robert Peden said.

He said the programme aimed to encourage young Kiwis "to learn about and experience an authentic election" and gives students a chance to investigate, research, and participate in an election "using real parties, real candidates, and real issues".

Students from Rathkeale College and St Matthew's Collegiate School on Monday attended a special election assembly that included presentations from political candidates before participating students up to Year 13 cast Kids Voting ballots, school spokeswoman Nicola Holmwood said.

The candidates at the assembly included Kieran McAnulty (Labour), Marama Fox (Maori Party candidate for the Maori electorate), Shane Atkinson (Act), John Hart (Green Party) and Ron Mark (New Zealand First).

Rathkeale College maths teacher Lee Mann wrangled the candidates, co-ordinated the mock election, and will count the votes.

"I'm really interested in it and I wanted to get the students involved. They will all be able to vote in the next general election so it's a good way to make them aware of the process."

Masterton Intermediate School teacher Kate Hamill yesterday led 90 of her Waingawa Syndicate students in the Kids Voting programme.

"They've been eager and excited and there's been lots of discussions around who is standing and who to vote for."

She said the kids' votes would be counted and results returned to the commission a week after the general election is complete.

The commission will compile a national Kids Voting result, Ms Hamill said, and she was keen to view the difference between the real and the faux votes cast.

"To see how they stack up, you know, and see what the government would look like that the kids voted in."