KIDS VOTING - Chester County debuted in Pennsylvania in 1996. Since then, nearly 48,000 students throughout Chester County have cast their ballot in the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections.KIDS VOTING - Chester County is an affiliate of the KIDS VOTING USA network of five million students in 40 states plus the District of Columbia. Chester County was the first county-wide KIDS VOTING program in Pennsylvania.

In Spring 2004, the Chester County Intermediate Unit was selected as one of five sites nationwide to pilot the KIDS VOTING online voting project.  In November 2004, Chester County's 86,000 public and non-public school students will have the opportunity to vote on-line in the 2004 presidential election.

KIDS VOTING encourages students, kindergarten through senior high school, to learn about and actively participate in the election process. Students study the American political system in school using a program developed by the United States Department of Education. The four-week program of study culminates with students going to their local polling precincts and casting their votes in the KIDS VOTING election. By establishing a tradition of voting among students, KIDS VOTING hopes to develop a future generation of voters who will regard voting as vital to American life.

Just like their parents, students must first "register" to vote. The first student voter registration took place in schools throughout the county on Tuesday, September 29, 1996 which was proclaimed KIDS VOTING Day by the Chester County commissioners.

KIDS VOTING - Chester County is sponsored and organized by the Chester County Intermediate Unit. It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in the community and schools.