This week, children and teenagers will be able to experience voting and feel like adults during a series of activities that will take place in public libraries in Chatham County.
The “non-partisan” initiative called “Chatham Kids Voting” or “Chatham Kids Voting” is a free event that offers an authentic voting experience for minors to participate in a simulated election of the current elections to be held in the country on Tuesday, November 5.
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To promote civic awareness
The activity, which has been taking place for several years, is organized by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and 4-H Youth Development, with the aim of promoting civic awareness and empowering youth under the age of 18 to understand and believe in the power they have as engaged residents and informed voters.
“The program improves civic skills, knowledge, and identity among children and youth in Chatham County, with the support of library staff through educational tools, family engagement, and authentic children and youth choices,” says a Chatham County release.
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A county with high voter turnout
According to county information, Chatham stands out for having consistently had the highest voter turnout in the entire state for years.
This statement can be seen in the percentage of voter turnout available in the website of the North Carolina Board of Elections (NCBOE). For example, in the 2020 presidential election, the statewide voter turnout rate was 75.35% of registered voters as of November 3 of that year.
In Chatham County, turnout reached 84.26% of registered voters.
“Involving children in the electoral process from a young age is critical to ensuring they understand the importance of voting as adults,” said Chatham County spokesperson Kara Lusk.
According to data provided from the latest 2020 Census, the largest racial group in this county is white with 54,431 inhabitants, followed by Hispanic/Latino with 10,372 people, followed by African Americans with 7,914, and the fourth is Asian with 1,627 inhabitants.
The results of the Children/Youth Elections will be announced on Friday, November 8.
Participating libraries
Wednesday, October 30: de 3:00 p.m. a 5:00 p.m. en “Chatham Community Library”, en 500 N Second Avenue Siler City, NC 27344.
Friday, November 1: from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at “Goldston Public Library, at 9235 Pittsboro-Goldston Road, Goldston, NC 27252.
*Families can arrive with their children at participating libraries, without registering.
Where to find more information
For more information about “Chatham Kids Voting” or other youth events with Chatham County Public Libraries, you can contact Youth.services@chathamlibraries.org
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