U.S. Department of Education Promotes High School Voter Registration

New guidance has the power to help millions of young Americans register to vote

Something big happened for American democracy last week.

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance to high schools to promote voter registration. I felt like they were reading my mind (or at least my Substack).

I tried to find coverage from major newspapers, so I could tell you all about it. But sadly, and not surprisingly, there wasn’t any. This should be a headline across the country, not just here: U.S. Department of Education says voter registration belongs in high school. 

With 4 million Americans graduating from high school this spring, and under 30% nationally registered today based on our research and best estimates, the guidance is welcome news for 2024. It should be required reading for every high school administrator, social studies teacher, student and parent who cares about democracy.

It’s hard for me to say it any better than the DOE did, so here it is, straight from page 11 of their new Toolkit for Promotion of Voter Participation for Students (footnotes omitted).

Background

Civic education, starting at a young age, is critical to a healthy democracy. A robust civic education can help teach critical skills that help students participate in civic life and has been found to lead to more informed voters and increased civic participation, including volunteerism and community involvement. Research shows that engaging youth in elections and teaching about voter registration and civic participation before they reach the age of 18 can increase the likelihood of voting.

According to research by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, nonpartisan instruction about elections, including about the voting process, is effective but often sorely lacking in K-12 schools. K-12 schools can play an important role in encouraging and supporting voter registration and civic participation.

Recommendations for Schools

• Determine if your state allows pre-registration for individuals under 18 years old and, if so, identify opportunities for high school students to do so.

• Identify any state or local laws that require schools to provide students with voter registration forms, and establish a process for meeting those requirements.

• Develop a plan and designate staff to distribute and collect voter registration materials, and regularly provide students with information about registering and voting, including key deadlines and dates.

• Identify a staff member to be trained in voter registration who can support implementation of related policies.

• Identify opportunities to partner with local election officials.

• Create opportunities to engage students in designing and implementing voter registration drives.

• Provide opportunities in the classroom and through extracurricular activities for students to learn about our system of government and how they can participate.

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In the absence of news outlets picking up the story, I need your help in spreading the word that voter education and registration belong in every high school in America. 

Now is the time because 4 million young people are graduating from high school this Spring. Whether major newspapers cover it or not, high school graduation season is voter registration season.

Here are tools to get started:

• Our map with voting rules, details on the number of students turning 18 each year, and links to register to vote online or to print out a paper form.

• Details for students on how and why to run a voter registration drive.

• Info for educators on their role in supporting students in learning how they can participate and lead.

• Our calendar, where students and educators can sign up to learn how to hold a drive in time for Cap, Gown & Ballot, our Spring campaign.

• Our research reports showing the need and effectiveness of student-led / adult-supported drives in high schools.

• Our donations link to support our work in making the Department of Education’s guidance real.

When we roll out our springtime Cap, Gown & Ballot campaign, and we say voter registration starts in high school, it’s not just us saying it. The U.S. Department of Education agrees.