Officially, Mason’s City Hall is home to all three of the city’s precincts. In reality, four precincts are on site: the city’s children have their own precinct called “kids vote.”
“Kids, when they become adults, are more likely to vote if they see their parents vote,” said Mason Administrator Deborah Stuart. “We wanted to encourage residents to bring their children to the polls.”
The kids poll station mimics the stations where their parents vote. Instead of voting on officials to elect into office, the children vote on four categories: favorite movie, favorite sport, favorite vacation spot and mythical creature. Creatures included a unicorn, a dragon and a mermaid. Children are rewarded for voting with plush toys, an “I voted” sticker and a candy of their choice.
Mason parents Ryan and Sarah Cook took their almost 2-year-old daughter to the polls with them.
“[We brought her to vote] so that when she gets older she knows that she can come out and voice her opinion by voting,” Ryan Cook said. “We want to get them started young.”