Eugene 5th grader elected Oregon Kid Governor for 2019
EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon fifth graders elected a Eugene student as Oregon's Kid Governor for 2019.
Erikka Baldwin of McCornack Elementary School will begin her term in January, Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson said.
She ran on a platform of helping dogs and cats find their forever homes.
“Thank you all for voting for me,” Erikka said during a school assembly Friday. “I'll be a good Kid Governor for everybody.”
The Kid Governor program, created by the Connecticut Center for Democracy, is in its second year in Oregon.
“Over 1,250 Oregon fifth graders voted in this year's statewide election for Kid Governor,” Richardson said. “This wonderful civics program is providing children with an outstanding, firsthand experience in civic engagement. It not only teaching them how elections work, but also why it is so important to be an engaged and educated voter.”
Richardson said he brought the program to Oregon to help "teach students about elections and the importance of civic engagement and contributing to their communities."
“Oregon's fifth graders have made a fantastic choice in electing Erikka to be their leader for 2019,” said Mary Beth Herkert, Oregon's State Archivist and Director of Oregon's Kid Governor Program. “Erikka is passionate about pet adoption, and we are excited to help her achieve her goals as Kid Governor.”
