Kids Voting – Te Pōti a Ngā Tamariki is a free civics education programme that gives your school everything it needs to run a mock election. Teach your students about real candidates, parties and election issues, and give them a first-hand voting experience.
It is available for all schools and kura to participate in and is a fun, free and easy way for students of all ages (Years 0 to 13) to learn about New Zealand’s democracy.
Registrations for Kids Voting 2026 closed at 5pm, Friday 25 September.
Your Voice, Your Choice Teaching resources
Use these resources to help your students understand how voting works and encourage them to take part.
These resources align with the Social Sciences learning area of the New Zealand Curriculum (2007) and the Tikanga-ā-Iwi learning area of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
The material is flexible, and you can adjust it to suit your students’ needs and experiences.
The resources have been updated for the 2026 Kids Voting programme.
Access the resources
This resource aims to support younger students to share opinions and make choices that affect their lives.
This resource aims to encourage your students to have their say on decisions that affect their lives. This includes engaging and taking part in the democratic process and increasing knowledge of citizens’ rights and responsibilities.
This resource explores how voting, New Zealand’s government and issues that local communities face all affect one another. It connects voting to students’ own lives to deepen their understanding of how New Zealand's government works.
This resource focuses on showing students how Māori have met their physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs through participating in democracy.
This resource can be used in Māori-medium classrooms along with the other Your Voice, Your Choice resources to explore the role of Māori in decision-making in the past, present and future.
You can also download inquiry cards — each card has a picture and some related questions about voting and democracy. Use these cards to start discussions and get your students thinking. The cards are suitable for all curriculum levels.
