NEW YORK, NY -  Today, the League of Women Voters and The Civics Center announced a cross-country collaboration to foster voter registration in US high schools and empower the next generation of American voters to participate fully in public life.

Every year 4 million Americans turn 18, but fewer than half are typically registered to vote for their first election (vs. 75% of voters age 45+), in part because the registration process can be challenging for teens. The most effective way to overcome these hurdles is to train and equip students to lead regular, nonpartisan voter registration drives in high school, with the help of their teachers, as a precursor to graduation. 

"Voter registration belongs in every high school in America," said Laura W. Brill, CEO and founder of The Civics Center. "The League of Women Voters at the national, state, and local level are trusted experts in the communities they serve. We are grateful for this collaboration, which means high school communities across the country will get reliable resources and training for students and educators to make nonpartisan voter registration a lasting tradition for all young Americans."

Most young Americans can pre-register to vote aged 15, 16 or 17, and high schools are the ideal settings to help them navigate the process, which varies state to state. Almost every American is old enough to register before they graduate high school. Many states have laws, often ignored, requiring high schools to help students register to vote. 

The Civics Center and the League of Women Voters, both nonpartisan, nonprofits, have developed state-specific training programs and toolkits for members to support students, teachers, and administrators in holding voter registration drives. 

"We know that when students lead, their peers follow. Our democracy is at its strongest when every voice is heard, and that journey begins the moment a young person steps into their power as a voter," said Jeanette Senecal, chief of civic learning & impact for the League of Women Voters. "By joining forces with The Civics Center, the League of Women Voters is empowering our grassroots to effectively meet students where they are: in the classroom. Together, we are equipping student leaders to remove registration hurdles and ensure that high school graduation marks the beginning of a lifetime of civic participation."

"I am over the moon because I am confident that by collaborating with The Civics Center we will reach more uouth and get them registered and civically engaged,” said Frances MacCarrigan, a member of the LWV of Burlington County (NJ). "This model works - one LWV ambassador working with students attained 92 registrations over two days because kids pay attention to their friends and fellow students."

"Voter registration in youth is a very crucial thing to the future of our nation and with this youth involvement change can really take hold in America and all over the world," said Sadie, 10th grader, Brooklyn, NY.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. With active Leagues in all 50 states and more than 800 Leagues across the country, including Leagues with active programs or an interest in high school voter registration, LWV works to protect every American’s freedom to vote. 

The Civics Center is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a mission to make voter registration part of every high school in America. The Civics Center is a project of Community Partners.

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