A few Cicero voters talked about the importance of bringing their kids with them to vote.Sammy St. Jean

Northern Suburbs

Election Day Brings Many CNY Kids To Learn

Many voters in Cicero came to Lakeshore Baptist Church and brought their kids with them to have them be apart of the election day process.

By Sam St.Jean

Video

ANCHOR: Election day is finally here. People from all over the country, including Onondaga county, are flooding to the polls today to cast their vote for this year’s midterm. Democracy in Action reporter Sammy St. Jean explains why election day is important for more than just those casting their vote.

ST. JEAN: At Lakeshore Baptist Church in Cicero people have been coming in since the polls opened early this morning. Some travel to the polls with their significant other, a friend, even a four legged one. Some people, like Brooke Maes, came to vote with her kids in order to teach them why it is important to make the drive to the polls.

MAES: We, my husband is a social studies teacher, so we always try to instill good citizenship and teach them about the importance and how it impacts them here locally.

ST. JEAN: For Alan Freeman it is his first time voting in the state of New York after previously living in Florida. This, however, was not the first time he brought his son with him to the polls.

FREEMAN: No, he came in the last election when we lived in Florida, got to go into the Ballot and see me cast my vote. I think it is important that he understands that right that you can get in there and do that when he gets older. I know he is looking forward to it when he is of age to be able to have that right as an American citizen.

ST. JEAN: Michelle Nasarenko has been bringing her daughter to the polls for eleven years to remind her that each vote matters on election day.

NASARENKO: It is very easy nowadays to just drive down the ride, you know, 100 years ago it was a different process. So, I just want her to be able to take part in it, see how it is done, and see that her voice matters.

ST. JEAN: Whether as a parent or a grandparent, those coming to vote at Lakeshore Baptist Church to bring kids. Not only to understand the process but to be involved in it themselves. In Cicero, Sammy St. Jean, Democracy in Action.

CICERO, N.Y. (DIA) — Onondaga county residents came out early and often to vote for the midterm election this year. At Lakeshore Baptist Church in Cicero people have been coming in since the polls opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. People came in to vote with their significant other, a friend and even their pets. Some people, like Brooke Maes, came to vote with her kids in order to teach them why it is important to make the drive to the polls.

“We, my husband is a social studies teacher, so we always try to instill good citizenship and teach them about the importance and how it impacts them here locally,” Maes said.

Allan Freeman was casting his first vote as a resident in New York after moving up from Florida. Despite that first for him, it was not the first time his son had accompanied him to the polls.

“No, he came in the last election when we lived in Florida, got to go into the ballot and see me cast my vote,” Freeman said. “I think it is important that he understands that right that you can get in there and do that when he gets older. I know he is looking forward to it when he is of age to be able to have that right as an American citizen.”

Michelle Nasarenko has been bringing her daughter to the polls ever since she was born, which is now eleven years, in order to remind her that each vote matters on Election Day.

“It is very easy nowadays to just drive down the ride, you know, 100 years ago it was a different process,” Nasarenko said. “So, I just want her to be able to take part in it, see how it is done, and see that her voice matters.”

While at Lakeshore Baptist Church seeing parents or grandparents bring kids with them to vote was far from uncommon. Overall, these Central New York residents want their kids to be able to see, understand and be involved in the process as early as they can.

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