Voting and Election Resources for Educators and Students
There has never been a more important time for young people to be civically engaged. Here are resources for educators to get students involved.
It’s September. There’s never been a more important time to focus on empowering students to be generous collaborators—students who bring their best to the table and find the best in others to co-create solutions to the world’s toughest problems. It just so happens that creating generous collaborators is an XQ Learner Goal and this month’s theme.
September also means that the 2020 election is around the corner. To help, we’ve rounded up links to dozens of high-quality civics resources to get your students engaged as active citizens. Check them out below.
1. EDUCATE
Important Voter Information
First, your students should know about their voting rights, how to register to vote, and how to get involved in the election.
Why it matters: Almost 92 million eligible Americans did not vote in the 2016 election. Voter turnout is extremely important for the nation’s democracy to function properly and for the government to provide fair representation. The more knowledge students have about voting, the more power they have.
Resources to register, vote, and get involved
Preregistration for young voters
Rock the Vote election resources for young people
Database of election offices and voter registrations
2. VOTE
Know Your Rights
Voting rights play an enormous role in our nation’s democracy.
Why it matters: The right to vote has always been plagued by racism, sexism, classism, and xenophobia. It’s crucial for students to know their voting rights and understand the history and struggle for equitable voting rights in America.
Increasing access to the democratic process
Learning about the struggle for voting rights
Teaching about voting rights toolkit
Empowering students to be community advocates for voting
Staying safe while voting during the pandemic
3. ENGAGE
iCivics and Election Resources
There has never been a better time to engage students in their civic duty.
Why it matters: The 2020 election will be historic—all elections are. These resources specifically to promote civic education will teach students, educators, and families how to participate and encourage students to get involved in the democratic process.
Checklist for teaching democracy
iCivics – The Importance of Civics Education in this National Moment
Articles on democracy and civics engagement
Free social studies resources for teachers
2020 election writing prompts, lesson plans and more
Election and voting teacher resources
4. APPLY
Election Projects and Challenges
Once your students learn about voting, it’s time to use projects, debates, and challenges to give students a greater opportunity to engage with the issues we’re facing this election season.
Why it matters: We can teach students about participating in our democracy all we want but in order to get them to apply their knowledge and go out and make a difference—we need to support our students in making their knowledge actionable. Here are some resources to help you do just that!
KQED 2020 Election Youth Media Challenge
The Election Collection videos, activities, and lesson plans
15 digital media projects for the 2020 election
5. INVOLVE
Ways To Get Younger Students Involved
Even if your students won’t be 18 in time for the election, they can still get involved.
Why it matters: More and more young students are organizing, leading, and participating to get involved and make their voices heard. Although they may not be able to vote, there’s so much more they can do.
How to have election conversations with activist Logan Browning
Power to the Polls polling place sign-up
How to get involved in the 2020 election if you’re under 18
Separate truth from fiction in this free online course
Why Do We Need Poll Workers? Calling Younger Americans, Including High School Students
XQ X-TRA
Let’s Get Social!
Want to connect to your amazing fellow educators? Check out our Best of Teachers Instagram page! If you or an educator you know wants to be featured, tag us @bestofteachers on Instagram!
We believe that students should have a big say in what schools should look like. Do your students have a story they want to share? They can check out our main XQ America Instagram page, where all of our content is created by students for students.
