Happy National Voter Education Week (NVEW)! NVEW is a weeklong celebration each year that makes sure voters are empowered to cast their ballot with confidence. One way to take action this week and every week is to educate the future voters in your life.
Do you have kids or young people in your life? You’re a great messenger to connect them with voting information!
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As a parent and local PTA leader, I’m passionate about connecting young people to voting and election information. I’ve done a mock election with my child’s 2nd-grade class, hosted a family-friendly tour of city hall, and brought my toddlers to the polls each election.
Talking to kids about voting prepares them to build healthy relationships with their community and be responsible citizens. Voting is both a right and a responsibility, and now is the time to start talking with them about how important it is.
5 Ways to Teach Kids About Voting
Get the Voting Conversation Started
Share your experience voting. Do you remember the first time you voted? Walk them through how you voted. If you need more inspiration, check out a book from your local public library. Libraries are trusted partners for civic engagement, and your children’s librarian can help you find an age-appropriate book about voting and elections.
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Create a Kid-Friendly Election
An interactive pretend election is a great way to engage kids with their voting future. You can create a ballot for them to vote for their favorite food or superhero, and they can decorate a tissue box to serve as the ballot box. If they’re older, you could print out a sample ballot from your local election office, if one is available, to walk through the different elected offices and candidates on the ballot.
Share About a Local Elected Office
Local elections make a big impact on your day-to-day life. You can share how school board members decide on the school district’s calendar, or how the park board votes on where to place new playgrounds. For older kids, consider taking them to a local city council meeting and introducing them to a council member. This is a great way to learn why voting in local elections is important for your community.
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Create a Voting Activity
You can ask your young kids to draw a picture of themselves as future voters or draw a comic strip about voting. For older kids, you could ask them to write down some issues they care about at school or in your community. What’s on their mind? What would they like to see improved? The more they are connected to the community, the more engaged they will be as a future voter.
Show Them VOTE411!
We have a trusted, nonpartisan source for nationwide voting and election information at VOTE411.org. Sit down together in front of your computer or on your phone and take a tour of the website. On the VOTE411 homepage, you can scroll down to the map and select your state to explore our state-specific voting information. Alternatively, enter your address on the homepage to check if you have an upcoming election and research your candidate information. This shows the kids in your life where to find the information they need to cast their ballot with confidence when they're voting age.
National Voter Education Week is a great time to share about voting with the kids in our lives, but so is every day! The more adults talk to kids about being engaged in their community and elections, the more they will be prepared to cast their ballot when they're older.
Kids are our future. They are future leaders, future workers, and community members, and now is the time to support them as future voters.