A decrease in voting participation in recent years has prompted people to develop ways to encourage younger generations to vote. One program developed to do just that is called Kids Voting Kansas.

Robba Moran began a branch of this program in Hays during the 2004 election. The current Kids Voting Kansas chairman is Laura Hertel.

The Kids Voting Kansas program is supported within the surrounding area.

“We are sponsored by McDonalds and Hays Daily News,” Hertel said. “We get volunteers from our community to run the polling sites.”

Every two years, Kids Voting Kansas set up spots in Hays for the November elections. Involvement from the district allows for increased participation in this event.

“The schools help by allowing us to put yard signs up and place posters in the hallway,” Hertel said. “They also encourage student participation on the morning announcements.”

Advertisement is not the only help that this program is getting from the schools.

“Government classes under the direction of Abby Maska and Dan Balman will help us count the ballots after the polls close,” Hertel said.

Counting ballots gives high school government students the chance to give back to local region.

“It’s a good service opportunity for my government students as well,” social science teacher Abby Maska said. “It allows them to be engaged in activities in their community.”

According to the Kids Voting Kansas website, this program was created to help solve citizen apathy and poor voter turnouts.

“It’s a fun program for students,” Hertel said. “We hope if they learn to vote every couple years with their parents, they will continue voting when they reach the legal age.”

The purpose is to spark an interest in American politics.

“It’s good to encourage civic duties and practices in kids,” Maska said. “Hopefully those are ideals that will stick with students when they become independent adults.”

Polling sites in Hays are open for kids to vote from 7-8:30 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. on Nov. 4.