Schools play a big part in Matt Blunt’s voter turnout plans. The republican candidate for secretary of state proposes a blitz through Missouri’s younger elementary school grades, to start preaching civic duty to kids as young as six or seven. He refers to statistics from the 1998 election showing fewer than 20% of 18 to 24-year-olds bothered to vote. Blunt thinks an aggressive early-childhood campaign promoting voting rights will help. Blunt’s offers detailed plans at his website, www.mattblunt.com. He’s running against Missouri House Speaker Steve Gaw for the job.
