Students across Indiana will get to watch gubernatorial candidates John Gregg (D), Eric Holcomb (R) and Rex Bell (L) participate in a town hall meeting at Lawrence North High School Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 10:30 a.m., as part of Indiana Kids’ Election (IKE), an award-winning mock election program.
Sponsored by the Indiana State Bar Association, Indiana Secretary of State and the Indiana Department of Education (DOE), IKE has teamed up with the Indiana Debate Commission (IDC) to organize this special event as a way to kick off the Commission’s official debate season this fall.
Students from the following schools will attend tomorrow’s town hall meeting:
- Arsenal Technical High School (Indianapolis Public Schools)
- Columbus East High School (Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation)
- Franklin Central High School (Franklin Township Community School Corporation)
- Indian Creek High School (Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson United School Corporation)
- Lawrence Central High School (Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township)
- Lawrence North High School (Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township)
- Shortridge High School (Indianapolis Public Schools)
Prof. Laura Merrifield Albright of the University of Indianapolis will moderate the event. In addition to those schools attending the town hall meeting in person, a live webcast will be made available to schools statewide through WFYI-TV by clicking on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccw1lwraKZg&feature=youtu.be
“In our state’s bicentennial year, it’s extremely fitting that Hoosier students statewide get to take advantage of this special opportunity afforded them through Indiana Kids’ Election,” ISBA President Carol M. Adinamis, Westfield, said. “This program demonstrates the legal community’s commitment to instilling the importance of voting in today’s youth.”
Currently, there are more than 1,300 schools signed up so far, representing 89 out of 92 Indiana counties. More than 110,000+ students will vote at school on Election Day (photo op). Also, ISBA legal professionals (attorneys, judges, paralegals and law students) will speak at IKE schools statewide leading up to Nov. 8 (photo op). Please note: Schools are still signing up, so these numbers change each week.
On Nov. 8, students across Indiana will elect their own governor, president and senator in a show of active citizenship through IKE, which is based on the premise that voting is only occasionally done by inspiration but more often done by habit. With its special emphasis on encouraging students to develop one’s voting habit at an early age, IKE attempts to emulate the election process as closely as possible. Statewide, students participate in voting milestones such as registering to vote on or before Tuesday, Oct. 11, and casting a ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 8 – just like their parents!
Also, under Indiana law, schools are required to give instruction on the election process two weeks preceding a general election for all students in grades 6-12. IKE, where the voting age is lowered to 5, helps Indiana schools meet this requirement by providing comprehensive curriculum guides, free of charge, to participating schools. The curriculum meets current state academic standards as approved by the Indiana Department of Education.
The Indiana Bicentennial Commission has approved Indiana Kids’ Election as an official 2016 Bicentennial Legacy Project. To learn more about IKE, visit www.inkidselection.com.
This program is funded in part by: Anthem, Duke Energy and the Indiana Bar Foundation.
