I want to take my 4-year old son with me to the polls tomorrow...

[Polly Glot]

However, he has been repeating "Vote for Kerry!" at random intervals for lo these many weeks. Hmm... who would teach him to say such a thing?!? ;-)

Question: Should I still bring him along even though he will likely break out into his "Vote for Kerry!" mantra? Would this be considered electioneering?

[tigereye]

1. I told my 8 year old that if he goes with me

(and he usually does)he has to be quiet. One year when he was 2 or 3, he pushed "the red button" in the booth too soon. So he knows he has to follow all the rules! Hard to say with a 4 year old, they are pretty irrepressible. :)

[Iris]

3. I don't know. 4 is a good age to understand some things.

Explain to him that no one has to tell who they vote for, so at the polls you must keep "Vote Kerry" a big secret.

[BayStateBoy]

17. I Remember my Mother Taking Me To The Polls When I was about 3

I remember the poodle that one voter had brought with her.

I fussed as usual and thought it boring.

[Iris]

26. I remember when I was in elementary school,

they had some toy voting machines that the poll workers would use to occupy the children whose parents were voting. You could vote for Pluto or Mickey Mouse!

[genius]

22. Start them as soon as they are born.

If he roots for Kerry, there shouldn't be a problem as long as your don't encourage it. Kids can get away with anything.

But getting them in the habbit of voting should start young. Help him mark your ballot - if he is too young to do it by himself. This will let him experience the importance of voting for himself and he will be able to tell his classmates he voted for Kerry.

[SCDem]

2. I would

I brought my 2 month old to the polls during primaries and I always remember going to the voting booths with my parents. I think it is great to take kids along and no age is too young. If he starts in his K/E mantra just shrug and say something like Oh Kids these days and brush any evil eye glares you get off.

[Polly Glot]

14. LOL! Thanks for your replies...

My husband tells our son, "Son, stop saying that 'Vote for Kerry!'or mommy will go to jail." Of course, our little Glotkindchen thinks that's a hoot and just says it that much more.

I do remember fondly as a little girl, joining my mom in the voting booth. All those buttons and levers!

Anyway our polling place is a fire station so I expect he'd run off and try to piss off some firemen by fooling around with their equipment.

Oh well, I think I'll call the sitter. There's always next time!

[fryguy]

4. might depend on where you live

unless you have bushie's manning the polls, I think most officials would realize that its a 4-year old talking and not consider it electioneering....but that's just a gut opinion with no basis....

.....I will say that one of my earliest memories is of going inside the voting booth with my mother in Brooklyn and helping to pull the lever to vote for Carter in 1976 (I was 5). Perhaps it will have the same lasting impression on your son!

[rl6214]

6. I am taking my son tommorrow

He turned 18 about 4 weeks ago and gets to vote in his first election.

[Polly Glot]

19. How wonderful!

Congratulations!!

[flygal]

11. Hey Fryguy - meet Flygal LMBO

[Pacifist Patriot]

12. I remember my parents voting absentee in '76.

We were stationed in Germany. I must have been turning 8 that week. My parents showed us everything and tried to explain what they were doing. All I knew was that we didn't want some guy who had a car named after him to be president anymore.

My kids have always accompanied me to the polls. Heck, I was nursing one in the voting booth in 2000.

[Spinzonner]

20. Election workers (and I am one)

are likely to be rather sensitive and strict this time as they expect to be under scrutiny so don't expect them to cut much slack.

The issue is the Electioneering, not who does it. It is illegal and while one is unlikely to be prosecuted, you will be asked to have it stop and then if it isn't, to leave the polling place (to beyond the prescribed limit).

[michigandem2]

5. he is better than my 3 year old

who cites that GWB is stinky and bad for Amewica...

I am bring both my kids (3 1/2 and 2) with me...hoping there isn't a long wait...I live in heavy red are of my state

[Polly Glot]

18. No he really isn't better...

He calls Shrub "Dum Dum" every time * appears on the TV screen.

I'll admit, I taught him that.

But then out of the blue just the other day, he said, "Mommy, Dum Dum needs to go to jail."

NO IDEA where that came from. But I agree wholeheartedly, natch!

Out of the mouths of babes!!

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Nothing illegal about it so why not? LOL!

A friend of mine took her four year old to early voting and he stood in line saying "Bush is a goober." Pretty brave of her in an overwhelmingly red county. She swears she didn't teach him that. She taught him "Bush should be impeached." We're not sure where he got goober, but it works too.

[robsul82]

8. Take the Wade Edwards story from the other day to heart.

Let him push the red button/pull the red lever. Fuzzy memories in childhood equal continuing behavior in adulthood.

Later.

RJS

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. If you live in a warm climate, and there is a long wait

You and your 4 year old might have a more pleasant experience if he waits for you at a little friend's house.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Frankly, I don't think it would be a good idea...

... but not for the reasons you stated.

First of all, lines tomorrow could be very long (as well as the wait); be considerate to your kid as well as other voters and try to avoid, if at all possible, doing anything to contribute to slowing the voting process.

Second, four is a little young to really appreciate the seriousness of what's happening tomorrow. There are votes happening every year and if you want your child to have the experience of going with you to vote, why not in a situation where there is a much less chance of noise, confusion, and long waits. Taking him or her tomorrow could actually be a counter-productive experience.

Third, ask yourself if you want to take your child to the polls tomorrow for *your* experience or theirs.

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. That's a good point. I have a very small precinct.

Even max turn out has never resulted in hideous lines. I've always walked right in and out. My perspective causes me to forget that the reality for most people is quite different.

[Maddy McCall]

13. My son has gone to the polls with me every election since his birth.

Bring him. Let him actually cast the vote. My son bubbles in the ballot for me.

:-)

[doni_georgia]

16. Get him a Tootsie Roll pop to keep in his mouth while in line

My kids are going with me too, and I worry about my son, because he has Asperger's Syndrome and really doesn't get conversational rules. He's liable to say anything. I have already talked to him about not talking about Kerry or Bush in line. I'm going to get him a Blowpop too - just in case.

[omnithrope]

21. Why don't you tell your son NOT to say that? You're his parent...

If he can't control himself - don't take him.

[Spinzonner]

23. Not necessarily a good idea

Echoing someone else, trying to show the kid how it works will lengthen your time in the booth and make waits even longer for people waiting.

If there is a long wait your child will get ansty, impatient, cranky and piss both you and possibly others off and may become disruptive.

If there is a time when there won't be lines at your precinct, then it may be OK.

[Polly Glot]

25. Thank you everyone for all your input, yay or nay.

As much as I'd love for my son to get an early hands-on appreciation for the democratic process and why it's so great to be an American, it can wait for a year or two until the voters and workers are less stressed, the lines are shorter, and he is more comfortable and controllable. Plus in no way would I want to jeopardize my own vote.

I will let him stay up late and watch some polling results and we will discuss what they mean and how they affect him.

Then once he and his little sister go to bed, Mr Glot and I will break out the champage and celebrate victory!

[Maine-i-acs]

24. I took my 4-year old Sat.

Early voting at Town Hall so I can be a poll monitor...

I sat her on the counter next to the ballot. I whispered each candidate's name as I checked it off (straight Dem ticket).

When I got to Kerry she said "Hooray!"

Not sure how she'd do in a long lineup though, and I'd hate to turn away from the polls due to an outburst of some kind (like our last resaturant trip!)