The League of Women Voters runs high school voter registration drives in many states. If you are looking for a way to help reach and register this critical subset of potential voters, look into working with them!
Yes, indeed. We work with the League of Women voters in many states and local areas where they are active in high school voter registration. Some of the local Leagues have really taken this on and done a great job with this. There is lots more work to do. In many states, we see registration rates below 30% for 18-year-olds. Students can sign up for our Run-A-Drive Workshops to learn how to organize a voter registration drive in their high school. https://www.thecivicscenter.org/voter-registration-drive
I would absolutely love to see a strong sense of civic duty taught to kids in school. I'm not talking about the very light dose I received in the 80s, but actually spelling out that democracy is the most "expensive" form of government there is in terms of participation, but the trade-off is worth it since you get to live in a society where you get to decide how it's run (to a degree). VERY important.
Yes. Civics education has been gutted in the past two decades. Many young people get little meaningful civics education in school. Very important to turn this around.
Young people are the future of our democracy, and it's a travesty that they face so many obstacles to making their voices heard at the ballot box and establishing a lifelong voting habit. In addition to barriers related to registration, young voters also face significant obstacles due to the rapid rise in restrictive voter ID laws across the country, particularly in the post-2020 period.
VoteRiders recently conducted research with the University of Maryland that found that a whopping 39% of 18-19 year olds did not have a current driver's license (https://voteriders.org/cdce), the most commonly-used form of photo ID. We're grateful to partner with the Civics Center to ensure that the high school voters they engage receive the critical voter ID information they need to cast a ballot successfully, and to offer free help in obtaining ID to anyone who needs it!
Yes! Voter ID laws are one of the huge barriers to registration and to voting for young people. Young people need training and encouragement (also better laws!) to help overcome these obstacles. VoteRiders is a great partner.
This is fantastic analysis Laura. Thank you! I am a college professor, and you've encouraged me to participate in registering my students again. I used to do this when I lived in Texas, but a move to Iowa 3 years ago has paused my efforts.
This is such great news. In the Dallas area, March to the Polls is a pretty established non-profit doing great work. I volunteer with them but do a lot more with League of Women Voters, focusing right now on colleges and universities. What we need in North Texas is more Volunteer Deputy Registrars becoming certified and participating in events. Please check with your county elections office to become certified and check these websites to volunteer.
This is very important because if young Americans vote in every single election cycle, they will be investing in their future by consistently moving their country in a direction that will suit these young Americans as they become older Americans.
"Why the 2024 Race is Neck and Neck Right Now" - D Pfeiffer 8/29.
Always deferring to Mr P's research and analysis, I cannot share his on balance "positive" perspective. Particular note: Independents leaning R. Any R victory in '24 will end governance, civil liberties, society, and well-being. Time to ex-pat, before we are prevented from doing so.
Schools are basically conservatives and don’t want a liberal youth vote. So they discourage rather than encourage voting. We need to register these voters.
At The Civics Center, we are nonpartisan, and we train students and educators to hold registration drives in their high schools. One of the best ways to spread the word is by sharing posts like this one and encouraging students to sign up for one of our Run-A-Drive Workshops. https://www.thecivicscenter.org/voter-registration-drive
Laura Brill is the champion/warrior for registering school students. (Regretfully,, my vision does not allow me to write Civic Center postcards (or text or phone bank.)
I would encourage everyone to write the Civic Center postcards, written by the Markers For Democracy community, and to participate in every action recommended by Laura Brill.
You are so kind, and the whole Markers community has been just incredible in so many ways! This page has a list of actions we recommend to those who want to support high school voter registration: https://www.thecivicscenter.org/take-action
Four of us wrote a class lesson on why voting matters and were given clearance prior to the COVID pandemic to present in one high school as a pilot in Columbia, Maryland. We still have it on PowerPoint and think it was really worthwhile. It will take a bit more than registering high school kids to vote. They need to learn why it's so important.
The League of Women Voters runs high school voter registration drives in many states. If you are looking for a way to help reach and register this critical subset of potential voters, look into working with them!
Yes, indeed. We work with the League of Women voters in many states and local areas where they are active in high school voter registration. Some of the local Leagues have really taken this on and done a great job with this. There is lots more work to do. In many states, we see registration rates below 30% for 18-year-olds. Students can sign up for our Run-A-Drive Workshops to learn how to organize a voter registration drive in their high school. https://www.thecivicscenter.org/voter-registration-drive
I would absolutely love to see a strong sense of civic duty taught to kids in school. I'm not talking about the very light dose I received in the 80s, but actually spelling out that democracy is the most "expensive" form of government there is in terms of participation, but the trade-off is worth it since you get to live in a society where you get to decide how it's run (to a degree). VERY important.
Yes. Civics education has been gutted in the past two decades. Many young people get little meaningful civics education in school. Very important to turn this around.
For what it's worth, I was talking about four decades ago (ish).
I think a serious decline began around 1980, alongside the rise of Reagan.
Young people are the future of our democracy, and it's a travesty that they face so many obstacles to making their voices heard at the ballot box and establishing a lifelong voting habit. In addition to barriers related to registration, young voters also face significant obstacles due to the rapid rise in restrictive voter ID laws across the country, particularly in the post-2020 period.
VoteRiders recently conducted research with the University of Maryland that found that a whopping 39% of 18-19 year olds did not have a current driver's license (https://voteriders.org/cdce), the most commonly-used form of photo ID. We're grateful to partner with the Civics Center to ensure that the high school voters they engage receive the critical voter ID information they need to cast a ballot successfully, and to offer free help in obtaining ID to anyone who needs it!
Yes! Voter ID laws are one of the huge barriers to registration and to voting for young people. Young people need training and encouragement (also better laws!) to help overcome these obstacles. VoteRiders is a great partner.
I support Vote Riders and Civics Center. Both great orgs !
Also People Power For Florida. Perhaps another org you could partner with ? Florida needs all the help it can get ! 😎
https://www.peoplepowerforflorida.com/
This is fantastic analysis Laura. Thank you! I am a college professor, and you've encouraged me to participate in registering my students again. I used to do this when I lived in Texas, but a move to Iowa 3 years ago has paused my efforts.
Beautiful to hear! Thank you.
This is such great news. In the Dallas area, March to the Polls is a pretty established non-profit doing great work. I volunteer with them but do a lot more with League of Women Voters, focusing right now on colleges and universities. What we need in North Texas is more Volunteer Deputy Registrars becoming certified and participating in events. Please check with your county elections office to become certified and check these websites to volunteer.
Yes, very important in Texas for to have as many trained Volunteer Deputy Registrars.
This is very important because if young Americans vote in every single election cycle, they will be investing in their future by consistently moving their country in a direction that will suit these young Americans as they become older Americans.
"Why the 2024 Race is Neck and Neck Right Now" - D Pfeiffer 8/29.
Always deferring to Mr P's research and analysis, I cannot share his on balance "positive" perspective. Particular note: Independents leaning R. Any R victory in '24 will end governance, civil liberties, society, and well-being. Time to ex-pat, before we are prevented from doing so.
Please, anyone -- Can Chris Christie beat Biden-Harris? Especially if nut jobs House R Magas impeach Biden?
On Morning Joe today (Monday, August 29th) Christie spoke very persuasively re: He can beat Biden!
Worrisome. Even though he’s not the worst.
Schools are basically conservatives and don’t want a liberal youth vote. So they discourage rather than encourage voting. We need to register these voters.
At The Civics Center, we are nonpartisan, and we train students and educators to hold registration drives in their high schools. One of the best ways to spread the word is by sharing posts like this one and encouraging students to sign up for one of our Run-A-Drive Workshops. https://www.thecivicscenter.org/voter-registration-drive
Laura Brill is the champion/warrior for registering school students. (Regretfully,, my vision does not allow me to write Civic Center postcards (or text or phone bank.)
I would encourage everyone to write the Civic Center postcards, written by the Markers For Democracy community, and to participate in every action recommended by Laura Brill.
You are so kind, and the whole Markers community has been just incredible in so many ways! This page has a list of actions we recommend to those who want to support high school voter registration: https://www.thecivicscenter.org/take-action
Four of us wrote a class lesson on why voting matters and were given clearance prior to the COVID pandemic to present in one high school as a pilot in Columbia, Maryland. We still have it on PowerPoint and think it was really worthwhile. It will take a bit more than registering high school kids to vote. They need to learn why it's so important.