"WHAT IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEACE AND THEY END UP BOMBING YOU?"

War, peace, the power of elected officials.. It's all part of the class discussion at Rocky Mountain Elementary in Lindon.

Learning about issues and government is part of "Kids Voting USA." It's a national program in three Utah school districts. Utah, Alpine and Nebo. The goals are to teach children about the process and responsibility of voting and how to be an informed voter. That means, discussing issues.

Student: "I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR FOR MOTHERS TO DO ABORTION. BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN DON'T GET A CHANCE TO LIVE AND THAT."

Student: "MY FAVORITE CANDIDATE IS CHRIS CANNON BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS FAIR, AND HE WON'T MAKE US WEAR SCHOOL UNIFORMS."

Student: "KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET SMALL JOBS 'CAUSE GROWN-UPS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING ALL THE MONEY AND KIDS WANT SOME MONEY."

Student: "I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TAXES LOWERED JUST A BIT."

Shelley Osterhoh, Eyewitness News: "IN ADDITION TO TEACHING KIDS ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND POLITICS, IT ALSO GETS PARENTS OUT TO VOTE. TWO YEARS AGO, VOTING TURNOUT INCREASED 10% IN AREAS WHERE KIDS VOTED RIGHT ALONG SIDE THEIR PARENTS."

Nancy Slitz/Kids Voting Utah: "KIDS VOTING HAS THEIR OWN BOOTHS. WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE P.T.A. OR THE COMMUNITY THAT MAN THOSE POLLS. THE KIDS COME, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BALLOTS GEARED TOWARD THEIR AGE."

And they vote. The first step, educators say, to being a responsible citizen.

Jeanette Monson/Teacher: "WE HOPE THE KIDS WILL GET EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.. TO BE AN AMERICAN."