5 Holiday Democracy Hacks for Families with Teens

I get asked all the time, what can I do right now to strengthen democracy? With the holidays coming up, there are some unique opportunities.

1. Share voter registration forms.
   You can download and print the one from your state and use it as a stocking stuffer. Or if you’re going out for food with your teen, and there is a line, have a VR form in your bag or a link to our online portal handy, and use the time to fill it out. Literally, I did this, and it worked.
   

2. Turn our sharable graphics into wrapping paper.
   Who doesn’t want their favorite new sweater wrapped in flyers hinting at the possibility of holding a voter registration drive this spring?

   

3. Voter registration trivia.
   Check out our map and Substack and share VR trivia when things get dull.
   Hey Uncle Fred: How old do teens have to be to preregister to vote in Florida?
   

4. Consider a capstone project.
   With 4 million 18-year-olds set to graduate from high school this Spring, a drive to ensure they’re registered and ready to vote before they move on makes a fun, impactful activity. Get involved with Cap, Gown & Ballot!

   

5. Family trip to the DMV to get a driver’s license or state ID
   There’s nothing like taking care of voter ID issues during the holiday season and registering to vote while you’re at it. Bring snacks. Bring a friend. Try the trivia game with the other people waiting in line.

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If you have success, let us know what worked. If you don’t have success, it’s a sign of how much more work we have to do as a country to make sure all young people know how and why to register. That’s what we’re working on all year long. Whether they work immediately or not, your efforts are a step in that direction.

Happy holidays!