Youngsters Getting Chance to Be Heard

“The adults do not have all the answers to our problems,” the young politician declared .

Leah Adler, 11, is part of the Kids Convention ‘88, in which public school students from Southern California are getting together to talk about the presidential race and make speeches on behalf of their candidates.

She spoke Thursday at a press conference in Burbank at which it was announced that special voting booths will be set up at all May Co. stores on Oct. 1 so that children can state their preference for Republican George Bush or Democrat Michael S. Dukakis.

The Kids Convention will be held Oct. 26 at Universal Studios and will draw more than 2,000 delegates chosen from schools from San Diego to Ventura.

Some have already made up their minds.

“I’m a Democrat, and Dukakis is my man,” said 11-year-old David Ford, hooking his thumbs in his pockets.

Denise Perez, also 11, will cancel his vote. She is for Bush because she has seen his political ads on television in which he is shown playing with his grandchildren.

“I think he’s for kids,” she said.

A survey of the convention’s rules committee Thursday found that drugs is the No. 1 concern of the 12 members, easily beating out world peace and affordable education.