KIDS ONLY

Voting calendar

Sept. 28 -- KIDS VOTING Student Registration Drive begins on all islands. Students in grades K-12 will register to vote in school .

Sept. 29 -- National KIDS VOTING DAY "Celebration of Democracy" at Kaimuki High, noon.

Oct. 5 -- Last day to register ADULTS for the general election.

Nov. 3 -- General election! Kids are encouraged to vote for Hawaii candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, Congress and other offices. Student votes will not count toward electing people to office, but will be tabulated to let adults know what you think.

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KIDS VOTING MESSAGE

By Lyla Berg

Make your voice count

ALOHA kids! The primary election has passed. Now the real work begins for all of us to get ready to go to the polls on General Election Day, Nov. 3. It is VERY important to be prepared so that we feel good about the choices we make.

First, make sure that you register to vote. Your teachers at school will help you complete the official KIDS VOTING registration card. Please bring the card to the polls as your identification on Election Day.

Second, learn more about each of the candidates running for specific offices. Read, listen, observe, ask questions and discuss your ideas with others.

Third, think SERIOUSLY about the information you receive. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself when considering who to vote for:

Is the information you read or hear "the truth"? How can you find out whether it is or isn't?

Will it help everyone in our community to have a particular candidate elected? What actions show fairness for many people -- not just a select few?

Do you believe that the candidate can bring people together to work out some of our problems? Do you think you can trust the candidate to listen and show respect for others? Why or why not?

What has the candidate done to demonstrate that he or she cares about our community and wants to make it better?

When you go to the polls with your parents to vote on Election Day, it is important to select candidates YOU feel will best represent what is important to you. Be prepared!

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Lyla Berg, Ph.D., is the executive director for Kids Voting Hawaii.