Subject: Voter Education and Mock Election Opportunities

October 18, 2004

TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ADDRESSED:

Subject: Voter Education and Mock Election Opportunities

The Texas Education Agency would like to alert Texas teachers to several exciting possibilities this fall for Voter Education/Mock Election Programs. Each program focuses on the education of future voters, yet approaches this goal in a slightly different way. Please review the information below and for more information contact the Division of Curriculum for clarification.

The National Student/Parent Mock Election

The National Student/Parent Mock Election is one of the nation’s largest voter education projects and will take place on October 28th, 2004. It is funded by the U.S. Congress and endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State.

The National Student/Parent Mock Election makes students and parents aware of the power of their ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged campaign and national election. In the last two presidential election years alone, over 10 million students, parents and teachers participated in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and 14 countries/territories around the world where Americans are based. Over 40 million have participated since the project began. All curriculum materials are free at the following web site

For more information related to the National Student/Parent Mock Election, contact Suzanne Mabie, Texas Mock Election Coordinator at (713) 353-5224 or by email at .

Project V.O.T.E. (Voters of Tomorrow through Education)

Project V.O.T.E. is an innovative private-public partnership designed to help students become knowledgeable, responsible voters at an early age, and stimulate a life-long commitment to the election process. The objective is to make the voting procedure uncomplicated and to give students the advantage of making informed decisions. Experience Project V.O.T.E. and learn how you can introduce your students to voting in a fun and meaningful way. The Project V.O.T.E. curriculum features unique lessons and learning tools, including an extensive mock-election unit with details on how to register voters, how to set up a polling place in your classroom, and how to assign election jobs to your students. Please visit their web site at:

For more information relating to Project V.O.T.E., contact Kim Sutton, Director of Project V.O.T.E. with the Office of the Secretary of State at (800) 252-VOTE(8683) or by email at .

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Voter Education and Mock Election Opportunities

VoTexas – Sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA)

The TYLA is pleased to offer VoTEXAS. The target audience for this program is primarily High School Seniors, preparing those students who will vote for the first time this fall. The aim is to educate students about voting and the electoral process. Free curriculum materials cover the historical development of the right to vote, and uses a hands-on approach to teach the students about the parties, candidates, and issues. The program also includes mock candidate debates and a mock election. TYLA Youth Curriculum may be accessed at

For more information relating to VoTexas, contact Kirsten Cohoon with the Texas Young Lawyers Association via email at r at (800) 887-1993 ext. 3315.

For more information pertaining to these voter education programsplease contact Lee Berlet, Assistant Director of Social Studies in the Division of Curriculum, at (512) 463-9581.

Sincerely,

Shirley J. Neeley, Ed. D.