(Time varies)

OBJECTIVE
Students engage in an authentic voting experience.

MATERIALS
Election materials supplied by your Kids Voting USA affiliate

GET READY

• Have your students' voter registration cards handy. (They should have filled them out during the Kids Voting Registration activity. If your students did not participate in this activity, consider doing it with them prior to their casting their votes.)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Tell your students, Now that we know what voting is and why it is important, let's use our right to vote and make a difference!
• Give your students back their registration cards prior to their voting experience so they can take them to the polls.
• Have your students participate in your local Kids Voting USA affiliate election. If you are not sure who your contact person is (whether a grade-level chair, school principal, etc.) visit our Web site: www.kidsvotingusa.org and click on "Affiliate Network." It will give you the contact information for your local Kids Voting USA affiliate. They should be able to give you the information you need.
• Have your students reflect, either verbally or in written form, both on their voting experience and on how they plan to continue to make a difference in their community.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• How did it make you feel when you voted?
• Does voting give you power? How?
• How do you think it would feel if you were not allowed to vote?
• Do all people vote who are able to? Why do some people not vote? How do you feel about that?
• Why is it important to study the candidates and issues?
• What are good ways to learn about the candidates and issues?
• What does it mean to register? Why is registering important?
• Is voting the only way you can make a difference? What else can you do to make a difference?