Valley of the Sun YMCA educates kids, teens with mock election [Video]

PHOENIX (AZFamily)—Election day is just over one week away. This year, young voters are expected to make a big impact.

That’s why the YMCA is working to educate our younger generation on the voting process.

“Kids are our future. Youth are the next leaders of our country. Our next voters,” said Elise Nilles, the associate executive director of civic engagement.

Every election, kids 5 to 17 years old can go to any Valley YMCA and experience what it’s like to vote. They have life-like polling booths and ballots with the same candidates we will be voting on this year.

“We launch officially today, so all of our polling sites at our locations are open for youth, and then they can vote all the way through the election. So, our polls close just like election day,” Nilles said.

While it may not be a real ballot, everything about these polling places is …