Elections for Kids: A Research Guide

Each year elections take place in every town and city throughout the United States . An election is the process by which people vote for candidates that they want to govern them. We not only vote so that people can lead our government, but we also vote on proposals or questions that may result in a new hospital or library, or changes to the city charter. The basis of democratic government is that citizens have the right to choose the officials who will govern them. Elections play a very important part in our daily lives. This guide introduces researchers to some of the basic informational sources on the topic. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

Arnold for President by Craig Bartlett and Tom Parsons. New York: Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon, 2000. ISBN: 068983361X.
When Arnold and Helga compete in a race for class president in fourth grade, Arnold learns just how a democracy works.

Class President by Johanna Hurwitz and Sheila Hamanaka. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1990. ISBN: 0688091148.
Julio hides his own leadership ambitions in order to help another candidate win the nomination for class president.

Grace’s Letter to Lincoln by Connie Roop, Peter Roop, and Stacey Schuett. New York: Hyperion Books, 1998. ISBN: 0786812966.
On the eve of the 1860 presidential election, young Grace decides to help Abraham Lincoln get elected by advising him to grow a beard.

The Misfits by James Howe. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001. ISBN: 0689839553.
Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school create a third party for the student elections to represent students who have been called names.

Girl Reporter Rocks Polls! by Linda Ellerbee. New York: Avon Books/HarperCollins, 2000. ISBN: 0064407608.
School newspaper reporter Casey Smith uncovers a plot to sabotage the elections at her middle school.

The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman. New York: Scholastic, 1996. ISBN: 0590939882.
With his friend as campaign manager and his former babysitter as running mate, twelve-year-old Judson Moon sets out to become the President of the United States.

A Time for Courage: The Suffragette Diary of Kathleen Bowen by Kathryn Lasky. New York: Scholastic, 2002. ISBN: 0590511416.
A 1917 diary of thirteen-year-old Kathleen Bowen’s life in Washington, DC, that reveals her concerns for the battle for women’s suffrage, war in Europe, and her family.

The Electoral College by Martha S. Hewson. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2002. ISBN: 0791067904.
Covers the 2000 election (Bush vs. Gore), the creation and original process of the electoral college, and how the electoral college works today.

The Fifteenth Amendment: African-American Men’s Right to Vote by Susan Banfield. Springfield, NJ: Enslow, 1998. ISBN: 0766010333.
Examines the Amendment that gave African-American men the right to vote and discusses the struggle that took place to regain this right when it was denied.

The Nineteenth Amendment: Women’s Right to Vote by Judy Monroe. Springfield, NJ: Enslow, 1998. ISBN: 0894909223.
The history of the women's suffrage movement in the United States that culminated with the passage of the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote.

Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts by Syl Sobel and Jill Wood. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, 2000. ISBN: 0764114387.
This book looks at the rules for presidential elections, the electoral college, a campaign, and the order of succession if something happens to the president.

Running for Public Office by Sarah De Capua. New York: Children’s Press, 2002. ISBN: 051627368X.
Describes the process of running for a public office, including the planning and organizing of a campaign, the campaign trail, and the election day.

top

Congress for Kids: Elections
www.congressforkids.net/Elections_index.htm
Everything you need to know about elections from how the candidates are chosen, voting methods, and an explanation of the electoral college.

Project Vote Smart
www.vote-smart.org
Candidate backgrounds, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances, and performance evaluations.

The Library of Congress: Elections…the American Way
http://learning.loc.gov/learn/features/election/home.html
This site reviews the history of voting in America, with links to source documents such as political posters and recorded debates.

Take Your Kids to Vote
www.takeyourkidstovote.org/youth/index.htm
Activities for future voters of all ages.

The 30 Second Candidate
www.pbs.org/30secondcandidate/
An overview of political commercials organized on a time line.

Yahooligans the Big Picture: Elections
http://yahooligans.yahoo.com
Go to main Yahooligans page and search term “Elections” for a wealth of information on this topic.