Bauska municipality lets children vote in 'Democracy Starts at Home' project
For the second time, Bauska municipality is running a project letting children and young people cast votes on issues relevant to them at 23 polling stations. The results will determine what items schools and kindergartens receive in 2027.
Bauska municipality is today holding the second edition of 'Democracy Starts at Home,' a project allowing children and young people to experience the principles of democracy in practice, the municipal government told the LETA news agency.
Parents and their children are invited to visit one of the 23 polling stations in the municipality, where alongside the national-level elections, younger residents can vote on issues tailored to their own age group, with results decided democratically.
Choices vary by age group
The youngest citizens, aged one and a half up to school age, will be able to vote for either a sports bag or a coloring book. Pupils in grades 1 through 4 can choose between large floor mat games or tabletop game sets for spending free time during school breaks. Teenagers in grades 5 through 9 will vote between table games — table hockey (novuss) or table football — to diversify leisure time at school.
Results to shape purchases
Based on the voting outcomes, each educational institution will purchase the most-supported option at the beginning of 2027. Children attending preschool institutions will receive their sports bag or coloring book at their kindergarten, while children not enrolled in preschool will be able to collect theirs at the nearest parish, town, or municipal unit office.
