Let's say (hypothetically) you have a nine year old who (hypothetically) watched the Tuesday night election media debacle, and then (hypothetically) asked you: "Mom (or dad), why should I bother to vote? Chris Matthews told me what's gonna happen already?" 
So that you don't have to have this (hypothetical) conversation, may I suggest the following?
This Sunday at 9 - in between re-runs of "Drake and Josh" (new episode coming up!) and "SpongeBob" - "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee" will air its VERY FIRST "Kid's Primary."
This is actually a reasonably interesting development because this'll be the beginning of Nick's "Pick the President" campaign which - as you are no doubt aware - has had an uncanny track record in actually picking presidents going back to 1992.
The show'll do a lot of stuff - perhaps, notwithstanding, also diffuse kiddie cynicism and indifference after said Tuesday debacle. (Of course, there's always the risk kids'll flip over to NBC, and once again hypothetically ask, "mom/dad, why is NBC News covering the stupid Golden Globes, and not covering the presidential race?" But that's another conversation.)
Expect a bunch of stuff on what the primary system is; who the candidates are; and what it means to be a Democrat or Republican (can't wait to see that part!)
One little girl, Alyse, has this to say in the special: "I thought that politics were boring - they were just a bunch of old guys talking about nonsense that I don't care about. But now I can see that it does apply to me." (Alyse will one day learn that these are not mutually exclusive.)
Meanwhile, kids will be able to vote in this "primary" starting Sunday night, while votes'll be announced a week from now.
Had a chat with Linda the other day, and she is - as you are aware - a deeply serious newswoman who like everyone else is worried about the current state of network news and how the bloviating is undercutting the Democratic Process.
I asked her the best advice parents can give those rightfully cynical kids, and here's what she had to say: "The main thing parents can do is don't create a cynic out of a ten year old, even if you're feeling like one yourself. Don't grow your own. You can point out the flaws in the media coverage, but if you start by saying 'your vote doesn't count, only money does, and they're all crooks...' then you're probably going to encourage your kid to not take part in the basic democratic process.
"The trick is listening."
Here's where you need to go to find out how to vote.
(Picture of Linda: Gordan Munro, Nickelodeon.)