Then we prepare the ballot pages and the voting equipment for a fun filled hour of education for the classroom. Students from each classroom are trained to be pollworkers whose duty is to set up the precinct and help with class voting. When voting is completed, the precinct is dismantled and ballots counted by the assigned pollworkers. As the votes are read by the workers, an election official tallies the votes on the chalkboard. When the voting process is completed, students receive junior voter cards, stickers, and fun pages.
Students also keep many good memories of the voting process.
We impress upon these students the importance of one vote, voting through the years, the secret ballot, and how to become a smart voter. We talk about the office of the President and the responsibilities of that position. The Electoral College, branches of the government and election procedures are always open for discussion. Setting up precincts, voting, and class discussions are all easily accomplished with this age group. We place issues on the ballots that are thought provoking and current with everyday life.