Kids Voting back for 2023

The Electoral Commission’s civics education programme, Kids Voting – Te Pōti a Ngā Tamariki is back for 2023, giving students the opportunity to learn about our electoral system and vote in their mock election.

Before the 2023 General Election on 14 October, schools can use the Kids Voting resources to explore real-life election issues and the parties and candidates standing in the election, or to make up their own parties and campaigns.

The programme builds up to a mock election, which gives students from years 1-13 first-hand experience of the voting process.

To register for Kids Voting –Ngā Pōti a Ngā Tamariki go to kidsvoting.nz.

Schools that register for Kids

Voting will be sent all the resources they need to run a Kids Voting election, including curriculum-linked teaching resources to support students’ learning, a ballot box and a guide to running a mock election.

Schools also receive mock ballot papers for their electorate with the actual candidates and parties standing for election, after candidates have been confirmed.

1,034 schools across New Zealand registered for Kids Voting at the last election in 2020, up from 832 schools in 2017. It was an impressive increase given the challenges to teaching in 2020 from COVID-19.

In a survey of schools that took part in 2020, teachers reported their students enjoyed participating and that the programme had increased personal understanding, belief and confidence in electoral participation. Young voters are voters for life, and the Electoral Commission