The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) has launched an electronic Mock Election Toolkit to help stations participate in the National Student/Parent Mock Election (NSPME). This year's mock election will be held on October 30, 2008.

The toolkit makes it easy for stations to partner with local schools as a way to enhance their election coverage.

The toolkit includes local school contact information, as well as downloadable materials for stations to add their logos, including:

• Sample partnership letter to a school
• Sample press release
• Sample PSA scripts
• Sample school poster

The toolkit provides more than a dozen ideas on how radio and television stations can participate in mock election activities including:

• Hosting a student essay or PSA competition about the importance of voting and air winning entries
• Using the station's Web site to promote Mock Election activities
• Hosting a webcast to allow students to discuss political issues
• Providing news coverage of Mock Election activities, including a live broadcast that involves the students

Getting involved with the Mock Election provides stations the opportunity to enhance their voter education efforts for the real national elections. It strengthens a station's profile in the community by providing a public service that engages multiple generations in the election process and helps inspire students to become lifelong voters.

The NABEF will promote stations' efforts on its Web site. Stations can share their efforts with the Foundation through a link at www.nabef.org.

The National Student/Parent Mock Election is a nonpartisan voter education program designed to make students and parents fully aware of the power of their ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged campaign and national election. Mock Election Day is October 30, 2008.

The toolkit is accessible at www.nabef.org/mockelection.