Kids Voting Durham celebrates 20 years at the county's Cooperative Extension on Saturday, Nov. 14. The free party runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 721 Foster St.

Kids Voting Durham, the program that lets children and teens cast ballots in every election, is celebrating 20 years as part of Durham County government. A free party for families, alumni and anyone curious runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.

The party is at Durham County Cooperative Extension, 721 Foster St., downtown. The county’s Board of Commissioners is set to mark the anniversary with a proclamation at its meeting Monday night.

What happens at the party

Kids Voting Durham’s event page lists:

  • a vote on Kids Voting favorites
  • games and activities for all ages
  • food, drinks and treats
  • stories from youth leaders, alumni, teachers and partners

The event is free and open to all ages. Organizers ask people to RSVP through the Kids Voting Durham RSVP form. People who cannot come can use the same form to share a favorite Kids Voting story or memory.

20 years in numbers

Kids Voting Durham started in 1999 as part of the national Kids Voting USA program, housed at the Durham Chamber of Commerce. It later moved to Durham County Cooperative Extension and grew into a year-round civic program for young people under 18. That history is on the program’s About Us page.

Over its 20 years with the county, the program has given more than 250,000 young people hands-on lessons in civics and voting. That figure is from the proclamation in the commissioners’ Nov. 9 meeting agenda.

The program’s own count since 1999, on its About Us page, is:

  • more than 341,033 ballots cast in Kids Voting elections
  • 99,437 volunteer hours
  • more than 950 candidates who have met young people through its election guides, forums and events
  • more than 1,748 youth leaders
  • 97% of Durham’s public schools taking part in its elections and activities

The proclamation credits the partners that make the elections work. Measurement Inc. tallies the ballots. The Durham County Board of Elections, Durham County Library and Durham Public Schools support the voting. NC State 4-H has taken Kids Voting to young people across the state.

How the kids voted this month

Young people cast Kids Voting ballots on the same races as adults in the Nov. 3 election. Like Durham’s adult voters, they picked Roy Cooper for U.S. Senate, Kids Voting Durham said in its 2026 results post. They also agreed with adults on the N.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals races. The program said its results are provisional while late counts come in.

For the adult results, see our Durham County election results.

What it means for you

  • Go to the party: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at 721 Foster St. It is free.
  • Get your child involved: every election, anyone under 18 can vote on the same candidates and issues as adults. Schools sign up through Kids Voting Durham.
  • Watch the proclamation: the commissioners’ regular session starts at 7 p.m. Monday. The county’s meeting notice has the livestream and Zoom details.

For more on what is on around town, see our things to do in Durham page and our voting guide.