Bring Your Kids to the Polls

When parents vote, their children are not only more likely to  vote when they come of age, but they also become more politically informed and engaged.  These results are regardless of the child's age when the parent begins taking the child along to the polls.  Researchers surveyed a high school senior class of 1965 and their parents.  They surveyed the students again in 1973, 1982, and 1997, at which point they were 50 years old.  Their own children were included in the final survey.  The findings tell a compelling story about the importance of parental voting behavior on the development of the voting tendencies of their children later in life.

When children are adolescents, the excitement surrounding a political campaign and election can further impact their long-term political behavior.  It may require more involvement from the parents than just showing up at the polls, but creating an atmosphere of excitement and interest can impress upon their children the value and benefits of exercising the right to vote.

So, have your teenager drive you to the polls and don't get a babysitter for the little ones! Expose them to your voting on January 19, 2010 for the next Massachusetts Senator and don't forget to explain the value of voting.