Kids Voting North Carolina is a project of the Durham County Cooperative Extension and grows out of nearly two decades of experience building the Kids Voting Durham program. Kids Voting NC seeks to build the civic knowledge, skills, and agency of NC youth under 18 through an authentic election, hands-on civic learning opportunities, and family engagement.

If you are from a county other than Durham, contact Kids Voting NC about partnering with your school district or other youth-serving organization or learn more about our state-wide Kids Voting NC 4-H program below.

Kids Voting NC 4-H builds the civic knowledge, skills, and agency of North Carolina youth, ages 5-17, through hands-on civic engagement and an authentic election experience. Kids Voting NC 4-H’s elections and civic participation programs nurture youth’s sense of themselves as informed, active voters and civic participants through:

  • Educational opportunities to learn about - and teach others about -  the offices to be elected and the candidates on the ballot

  • Hands-on skill-building around how to vote including how to evaluate candidates and developing an identity as a voter

  • Kids Voting Elections where youth can cast a ballot on the same candidates and issues as adults 

  • Kids Voting civic activities & lessons that can be used in year-round 4-H core youth programs focused on Civic Engagement & Education, Service Learning, & Leadership 

Existing local 4-H partnerships with schools, youth groups, government agencies, and community volunteers extend the reach of this program.  Many local programs choose to have  4-H youth undertake Kids Voting as a service project for their peers building leadership skills and volunteerism as well as civic engagement.

Kids Voting NC staff and volunteers are committed to providing high-quality civic experience for youth that are:

KVNC 4-H gives young people hands-on experience with democratic practices including voting and supports them in understanding their own identity as a voter.  We do not support or promote any particular party, political agenda, or candidate.

Non-Partisan

Youth-led

Youth inform & create materials, programs, and outreach that is relevant, accessible, and engaging for other youth - and often their families & other adults in the community as well. 

KVNC 4-H especially tries to work in the civic skills, knowledge, and participation gaps research has identified – generational, economic, racial, and regional – to ensure that everyone has the tools to become an effective and fully engaged civic participant.

Equity-oriented

Looking Forward

Kids Voting NC 4-H is looking to build on its successful 2022 launch by:

  • Holding KVNC 4-H 2023 municipal elections that deepen youth appreciation of the role of local government through not only casting a ballot but creating election guides and holding candidate forums in their communities.

  • Building toward  40-60% of 4-H County participation in the KVNC 2024 Elections for local, state and federal offices

  • Offering support for year-round civic engagement in every county through training of youth and adult volunteers to conduct the Kids Voting NC activities and curriculum in clubs, schools, and other youth venues

 KVNC 4-H programs translate into a lifetime of civic participation and informed voting for thousands of North Carolina youth.

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Kids Voting NC is a program of the Durham County Cooperative Extension that builds the civic knowledge, skills, and agency of NC youth under 18.  

NC State 4-H is a fun program where youth get to experience “learning by doing”. With more than 10,000 established 4-H programs across North Carolina, you can be a part of 4-H wherever you live.