2006 News

September 27 , 2006

Bucks County Commissioners Sponsor "Kids Voting USA" Public Service Announcement
Program Encourages Youngsters to Get Involved in Voting Process

Using one of Bucks County’s new Danaher ELECTronic 1242 voting machines as a backdrop, the members of Middle Bucks Institute of Technology Multimedia Instructor Chris Tully’s senior class filmed a “Kids Voting USA” public service announcement (PSA) yesterday afternoon.

The PSA, which will be aimed at students in the kindergarten to eighth-grade range, also urges high-school students to participate in a program allowing those not yet old enough to vote officially, to register their voice through a mock election. According to Kids Voting USA Southeast Pennsylvania Executive Director William G. Bentrim, that election will also be conducted on Nov. 7, General Election day - with the results to be published in both the Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier-Times daily newspapers.

“We invite youngsters of all ages to take advantage of this unique educational opportunity,” said Bucks County Commissioners Chairman James F. Cawley, Esq. “The more our youth know about the precious right to vote, the better prepared they will be to contribute to our democratic process.” County trainers showed students how simple it is to operate the new Danaher machines.

Starring in the PSA, which features volunteer election officials from the League of Women Voters and will be seen on Comcast’s cable-television affiliates during the weeks leading up the election, is Central Bucks East High School/MBIT senior Bob Topley. The three primary production directors were MBIT seniors Bret Badger, Evan Freeman and Laura Barnett.

For more information about the Kids Voting Southeast Pennsylvania program, please visit the website www.kidsvotingsoutheastpa.org. For additional information about the Bucks VOTEs educational initiative, please access Bucks Votes Voter Education.