Vote for Kids!: Make Investments in Children a National Priority

On November 4, America's 74 million children will be too young to go to the polls and cast a vote, yet their health, education, and prospects for the future are at stake. While competing interests have dominated U.S. politics, children's programs have lost ground. Over the past five years, investments in the areas of children's education, child welfare, and youth training have declined by 9.9 percent, 11.5 percent, and 14.9 percent, respectively. Moreover, discretionary spending on children has declined by 23 percent since 1960.

The next President and Congress will have the opportunity to lead America in a new commitment to all of the nation's children, including those who are marginalized or falling behind. No less than the future of the country depends upon it.

The Children's Partnership has launched Vote for Kids!, a public awareness campaign to inform voters about candidates' positions on key children's issues and to educate California Congressional candidates on issues critical to the health and well-being our nation's children. We are reaching out to our network of allies representing parents, business, education, health care, and the technology industry to create a "surround sound" of voices on behalf of children. Candidates will recognize that Americans across the political spectrum want their leaders to take the interests of children seriously and that prioritizing children in the upcoming election is a necessity.

Vote for Kids! has sent each of the California Congressional candidates questionnaires inviting them to submit their position on three critical issue areas:

 Children's Health Care
 E-Health for Children
 21st Century Skills

The candidates' responses will be posted on the Vote for Kids! Web site and distributed to media and other organizations so that voters and interested parties can see where the candidates stand. Vote for Kids! encourages individual voters, organizations concerned with child and family issues, and the media to use these questions and briefing materials when contacting Congressional candidates. The materials can be integrated into existing voter and candidate forums; used at town halls, rallies, and debates; and serve as background for reporters covering campaigns.

Vote for Kids! has joined national efforts -- such as Step Up for Kids Day, organized by Every Child Matters on September 16th -- to highlight the importance of children's issues this election. Vote for Kids! will continue to participate in pre-election activities as well as in other events organized by Every Child Matters.

The Children's Partnership will continue beyond the election to provide information to both elected officials in the California Congressional delegation and in the new presidential administration about how to become champions for children.

Candidates can respond to the questionnaire by downloading the candidate response form, filling out their answers, then submitting responses via mail or fax, or by e-mail by pressing the button at the bottom of the form.

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