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MUST READ: The Danger In Believing that You are Powerless: A citizen’s guide to defending the 2024 election By Anne Applebaum

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MUST READ: The Danger In Believing that You are Powerless: A citizen’s guide to defending the 2024 election By Anne Applebaum

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Help Out on Voting Day—In Person

Join Something Now

Talk With People

•Do talk about local issues: Americans are bitterly polarized over national issues, but have much higher levels of trust in their state and local officials.

•Do talk about what your state and local leaders are doing to ensure a safe election.

•Do emphasize our shared values—the large majority of Americans still feel that democracy is preferable to all other forms of government—and our historical ability to deliver safe and fair elections, even in times of warfare and social strife.

•Don’t, by contrast, dismiss people’s concerns about election irregularities out of hand. Trump and his allies have repeatedly raised the specter of widespread voter fraud in favor of Democrats. Despite a lack of evidence for this notion, many people may sincerely believe that this kind of electoral cheating is real.

•Don’t rely on statistics to make your case, because people aren’t convinced by them; talk, instead, about what actions are being taken to protect the integrity of the vote.

•Finally, don’t inadvertently undermine democracy further: Emphasize the strength of the American people, our ability to stand up to those who assault democracy. Offer people a course of action, not despair.

As a Last Resort, Protest

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The Danger Is Greater Than in 2020. Be Prepared.

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A citizen’s guide to defending the 2024 election

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More in Common’s mission is to understand the forces driving us apart, find common ground and bring people together to tackle shared challenges.

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Societies are fracturing as the forces of division grow stronger, driving people apart.

We are losing trust in each other and in the future. Feelings of frustration, powerlessness and a loss of belonging are making us vulnerable to 'us versus them' stories, which turn us against each other. Social media is magnifying the loudest and most extreme voices.

A generation ago, experts claimed the forces of democracy, freedom and progress were unstoppable. Instead we are entering the 2020s with many of the most established democracies feeling weakened, unstable and under increasing threat.

Our organization's name reflects our vision: to build more united, inclusive and resilient societies in which people believe that what they have in common is stronger than what divides them.

More in Common's mission is to understand the forces driving us apart, to find common ground and help to bring people together to tackle our shared challenges.

We draw from groundbreaking research to test and find solutions, working with partners that have the capacity to make a real difference at scale. And we help build the larger field of efforts to strengthen democratic societies against the threats of polarization and division.

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Societies are fracturing as the forces of division grow stronger, driving people apart. We are losing trust in each other and in the future. Feelings of frustration, powerlessness and a loss of belonging are making us vulnerable to 'us versus them' stories, which turn us against each other.

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defending democracy at the local level. All Voting is Local is a multistate, nonpartisan organization that fights against state and local voting policies that silence voters of color and other historically marginalized communities and advocates for pro-voter policies that expand access to the ballot – not just in election years but every year. ARIZONA FLORIDA […]

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CA State Elections and Voter Information

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CA State Elections and Voter Information

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Also see CA County Elections Offices (aka Registrar of Voters)

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EdWeb.net: Navigating Election Misinformation: Lies, Myths, and Scares—Oh My!

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EdWeb.net: Navigating Election Misinformation: Lies, Myths, and Scares—Oh My!

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Navigating Election Misinformation: Lies, Myths, and Scares—Oh My! - edWeb

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This edWebinar is designed to empower educators with free, nonpartisan tools and resources to take the “scare factor” out of teaching about election-season topics.

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The History of Voting from an Indigenous Perspective

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The History of Voting from an Indigenous Perspective

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The History of Voting from an Indigenous Perspective | NowThis

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PBS: How Would You Respond to These Ethical Dilemmas? | DEADLOCK: An Election Story | Full Episode

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PBS: How Would You Respond to These Ethical Dilemmas? | DEADLOCK: An Election Story | Full Episode

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How Would You Respond to These Ethical Dilemmas? | DEADLOCK: An Election Story | Full Episode | PBS

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PBS: The Complexities of Voting in America | Full Documentary | Independent Lens

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PBS: The Complexities of Voting in America | Full Documentary | Independent Lens

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The Complexities of Voting in America | Full Documentary | Independent Lens | PBS

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PBS: A First-Time Voter’s Complicated Path Navigating Family and Politics | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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PBS: A First-Time Voter’s Complicated Path Navigating Family and Politics | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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A First-Time Voter’s Complicated Path Navigating Family and Politics | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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PBS: The Issues that Matter to a Future Voter | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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PBS: The Issues that Matter to a Future Voter | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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The Issues that Matter to a Future Voter | VOCES: Latino Vote 2024

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Native American Rights Fund: Native Voices, Native Vote: The Road to Voting Rights in Arizona

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Native American Rights Fund: Native Voices, Native Vote: The Road to Voting Rights in Arizona

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Native Voices, Native Vote: The Road to Voting Rights in Arizona

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Sentencing Project: Unlocking the Ballot: Using Data to Expand Voting Rights

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Sentencing Project: Unlocking the Ballot: Using Data to Expand Voting Rights

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Unlocking the Ballot: Using Data to Expand Voting Rights

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Sentencing Project: Out of Step: U.S. Policy on Voting Rights in Global Perspective

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Sentencing Project: Out of Step: U.S. Policy on Voting Rights in Global Perspective

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Out of Step: U.S. Policy on Voting Rights in Global Perspective

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iCivics: Resources for English Learners, Spanish, and Multilingual Students

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iCivics: Resources for English Learners, Spanish, and Multilingual Students

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Our Resources: Spanish & EL/ML - iCivics

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Home > Using iCivics Resources > EL/ML Resources Supports to Engage Your Multilingual Classroom We are committed to helping every student understand our system of government and be inspired toward civic engagement. Throughout our resources, you will find English (EL) and multilingual learner (ML) supports and Spanish-translated versions.

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Read: New American Voters Fired Up & Ready to Vote

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Pew Research: 1 in 10 eligible voters in the U.S. are naturalized citizens (2024)

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Pew Research: 1 in 10 eligible voters in the U.S. are naturalized citizens (2024)

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Many more stories about voters.

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1 in 10 eligible voters in the U.S. are naturalized citizens

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Naturalized citizens make up a record number of eligible voters in 2022, most of whom have lived here for more than 20 years.

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NELRC: Voter Education, Registration, and Action (VERA)

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NELRC: Voter Education, Registration, and Action (VERA)

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What does it involve?
Joining VERA means making a program or class commitment to:

teach about representative democracy, voting, and topical election issues

encourage and help eligible students and staff register to vote, get to the polls, and vote

encourage non-eligible students to talk to family members and friends who can vote

participate in a program-wide mock election

exploring ways to take action in and shape civil society

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VERA - New England Literacy Resource Center

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National Coalition to End Homelessness: How Nonprofits Can Help with Voter Registration (While Staying Nonpartisan)

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National Coalition to End Homelessness: How Nonprofits Can Help with Voter Registration (While Staying Nonpartisan)

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How Nonprofits Can Help with Voter Registration (While Staying Nonpartisan)

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Adult Education: Building Media Literacy in an Election Year

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Adult Education: Building Media Literacy in an Election Year

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Also watch:

1) Developing Media Literacy in the Adult Ed Classroom: No More Fake News

2) AI Literacy Navigating the Election Frenzy Truth or Trickery

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LINCS.ed.gov: Supporting the Voting Rights of People with Disabilities

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LINCS.ed.gov: Supporting the Voting Rights of People with Disabilities

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Additional Disability Voting Rights Resources:

AAPD.com: Disability Voting Rights Week: September 9 to 13

AAPD.com: REV UP Voting Campaign

ACLU.org: I am a voter with a disability

ADA.gov: Ballot Drop Box Accessibility

ADA.gov: Checklist for Polling Places

ADA.gov: Solutions for Five Common ADA Access Problems at Polling Places

ADA.gov: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities

Many more resources

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LINCS Community | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 9/12 Supporting the Voting Rights of People with Disabilities

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9/12/2024 Supporting the Voting Rights of People with Disabilities (Updated 9/16)Mike Cruse, Moderator: LINCS Community Learners with Disabilities GroupJennifer Gagliardi, Moderator: LINCS Community Civics Education and Citizenship GroupPurpose:

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Voting Rights Alliance: 72 Forms of Voter Suppression (updated!)

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Voting Rights Alliance: 72 Forms of Voter Suppression (updated!)

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Voter Suppression Awareness - Voting Rights Alliance

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Martin Luther King said, “The denial of this sacred right is a tragic betrayal of the highest mandates of our democratic tradition. And so our most urgent request to the President of the United States and every member of Congress is to give us the right to vote,” King Jr. said.

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Sentencing Project: Jail-Based Voting Resources | Voting Rights 

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Sentencing Project: Jail-Based Voting Resources | Voting Rights 

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Jail-Based Voting Resources – The Sentencing Project

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National Conference of State Legislatures: Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons

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National Conference of State Legislatures: Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons

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It has been common practice in the United States to make felons ineligible to vote, in some cases permanently. Over the last few decades, the general trend has been toward reinstating the right to vote at some point, although this is a state-by-state policy choice.

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Campaign Legal Center: The Right to Vote & the Criminal Justice System

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Campaign Legal Center: The Right to Vote & the Criminal Justice System

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Campus Vote Project

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The Right to Vote & the Criminal Justice System

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In the United States, contact with the criminal justice system often leads to disenfranchisement. These forms of disenfranchisement can vary. Voters in jail pending trial or for misdemeanors are usually eligible to vote but cannot easily access the means to cast a ballot. People with felony convictions are often disenfranchised by state law well past their release from incarceration. Procedures for rights restoration after a felony conviction are often confusing or difficult to navigate. And other rights restoration procedures hinge access to the ballot on payment of fines and fees, leaving many too poor to vote. To provide equal access to voting for this historically disenfranchised community, CLC seeks to expand and simplify voting rights restoration laws, provide clear and accurate eligibility information to people with convictions, and ensure access to the ballot for those in our jails nationwide. Tens of millions of Americans have had some contact with the criminal justice system. Over twenty-three million Americans have been convicted of felonies. Millions more have been convicted of misdemeanors or have been arrested and jailed pretrial without ever being convicted of a crime. Most people understand that contact with the criminal justice system can have an impact on the right to vote, but few understand the varied and complex ways an arrest or conviction can work to disenfranchise justice-involved voters. Consider the example of felony disenfranchisement laws. These laws dictate when a felony conviction renders a voter ineligible to cast a ballot. Felony disenfranchisement laws vary greatly state to state. Some U.S. states have no restrictions on voting with a conviction, while others impose a lifetime ban upon a single felony conviction. Eleven states permanently disenfranchise some or all citizens convicted of felony offenses. These laws disenfranchise nearly 5 million Americans or more across the country and they disproportionately affect people of color. However, the negative impact of felony disenfranchisement laws only begins there. The differing criteria for both felony disenfranchisement and voting rights restoration across the states create a dense and confusing patchwork of voter eligibility law. Election officials are often untrained on felony disenfranchisement and rights restoration law and misinform citizens. Many Americans are eligible to restore their voting rights but the processes to do so are unnecessarily bureaucratic. Others are locked out of restoring their right to vote simply because they cannot afford to pay their fines and fees. And administrative errors often lead eligible citizens with past convictions to be turned away at the polls. Since the laws are confusing, there are few resources are available to assess voter eligibility after a conviction, and rights restoration is often burdensome, many Americans err on the side of simply not voting. Thus, these laws not only strip millions of their right to vote, they pose substantial barriers to voting for tens of millions more Americans. Moreover, the criminal justice system affects voting even for those who are never convicted of a crime. Jail-based disenfranchisement is another often overlooked way in which the criminal justice system deprives people—particularly low income, people of color—of their political voices. Half a million people are incarcerated in pretrial detention each day, people who have not been convicted of any crime and often simply cannot afford to pay bail—all of whom retain their right to vote. Americans do not lose the right to vote before they have been convicted of felonies even if they are incarcerated. Also, in most states, people do not lose the right to vote when they are incarcerated for a misdemeanor. However, because they are incarcerated, eligible jailed voters cannot access their polling places. Without infrastructure in place to provide these voters with alternative access to the ballot, they cannot exercise their constitutional right to vote. Unfortunately, few jails provide eligible voters with the resources they need to vote. It is time to take steps to ensure these voters have real access to the ballot box. Disenfranchisement not only affects individuals with past convictions or arrests; it also disempowers the minority communities to which many belong. In one final example, consider the effect of prison gerrymandering. In many states, incarcerated people are counted for the purposes of redistricting far from their homes in the often white, rural communities where they are incarcerated. They are then “represented” by someone who they cannot vote for and who has no connection to their social or political communities, inflating the political power of jurisdictions that are home to prisons at the expense of the jurisdictions that are home to citizens who are too often imprisoned. In 2019, Washington and Nevada joined the states that have put an end to this practice. More information and resources about ending prison gerrymandering are available from the Prison Policy Initiative. From felony disenfranchisement laws to money bail practices, many of the laws that create this system of disenfranchisement were deliberately designed to target and disempower people of color, and they continue to disproportionately impact people of color and distort our democracy today. Justice-involved Americans are citizens, they should have a say in deciding their community’s and the nation’s laws that directly impact their lives. If our democracy is really intended to be by the people and for the people, we must take steps to ensure that all voters can have their voices heard on Election Day.

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Brennan Center: Voting Rights Restoration

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Brennan Center: Voting Rights Restoration

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Millions of Americans are barred from voting because of criminal convictions in their past. Felony disenfranchisement laws — relics of Jim Crow — hit Black Americans disproportionately hard because of bias in the criminal justice system. The Brennan Center advances policies to re-enfranchise Americans who are living in the community, and we fight policies making it harder for Americans with past convictions to vote.

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Bertelsmann: Out To Vote |A Story of Voting Rights, Voter Suppression & the Fight For Democracy |BFNA Documentary

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Bertelsmann: Out To Vote |A Story of Voting Rights, Voter Suppression & the Fight For Democracy |BFNA Documentary

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Out To Vote |A Story of Voting Rights, Voter Suppression & the Fight For Democracy |BFNA Documentary

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UMN: Jail Voting Developing a Program to Help Eligible Incarcerated Americans

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UMN: Jail Voting Developing a Program to Help Eligible Incarcerated Americans

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Jail Voting Developing a Program to Help Eligible Incarcerated Americans

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PBS Learning Media: Teach the History and Struggle for Voting Rights

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PBS Learning Media: Teach the History and Struggle for Voting Rights

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Teach the History and Struggle for Voting Rights

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COABE: Get Out to Vote, Learn About Easy to Use Civic Engagement Resources, Tips and Tricks

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COABE: Get Out to Vote, Learn About Easy to Use Civic Engagement Resources, Tips and Tricks

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Get Out to Vote, Learn About Easy to Use Civic Engagement Resources, Tips and Tricks

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NPNA: New American Voter: Angie Cruz-Sierra

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NPNA: New American Voter: Angie Cruz-Sierra

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NPNA: Naturalized & Ready to Vote Tour: PA

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NPNA: Naturalized & Ready to Vote Tour: PA

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Share America: A ballot in your own language: By reducing stress for some voters, a U.S. law boosts turnout

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Share America: A ballot in your own language: By reducing stress for some voters, a U.S. law boosts turnout

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USA Facts: How does the government help non-English speakers vote?

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USA Facts: How does the government help non-English speakers vote?

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How does the government help non-English speakers vote?

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Under the Voting Rights Act, thirty states are required to provide non-English voting materials in at least one locality.

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Justice.gov: Language Minority Voting Rights

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Justice.gov: Language Minority Voting Rights

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Congress enacted the language minority provisions because it found that:

[T]hrough the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process. Among other factors, the denial of the right to vote of such minority group citizens is ordinarily directly related to the unequal educational opportunities afforded them resulting in high illiteracy and low voting participation. The Congress declares that, in order to enforce the guarantees of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, it is necessary to eliminate such discrimination by prohibiting these practices, and by prescribing other remedial devices.

The language minority provisions of the Voting Rights Act require that when a covered state or political subdivision provides registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

The requirements of the law are straightforward: all election information that is available in English must also be available in the minority language so that all citizens will have an effective opportunity to register, learn the details of the elections, and cast a free and effective ballot.

Covered jurisdictions are determined by the Census Bureau based upon a formula set out in the Voting Rights Act. The most recent determinations for Section 203 were made on December 8, 2021.

Covered language minorities are limited to American Indians, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Spanish-heritage citizens - the groups that Congress found to have faced barriers in the political process.

A jurisdiction is covered under Section 203 where the number of United States citizens of voting age is a single language group within the jurisdiction:

Is more than 10,000, or

Is more than five percent of all voting age citizens, or

On an Indian reservation, exceeds five percent of all reservation residents; and

The illiteracy rate of the group is higher than the national illiteracy rate

The Civil Rights Division offers guidance to local election officials on how to comply with language minority provisions. These guidelines are entitled "Implementation of the Provisions of the Voting Rights Act Regarding Language Minority Groups." 28 C.F.R. Part 55.

Language Minority Guidelines Online: Updated version

In addition to guidelines and correspondence, the Division has held meetings with state and local election officials and minority community members in jurisdictions to explain the law, answer questions, and work to foster the implementation of effective programs.

The Division requests voter registration lists and bilingual poll official assignment data from covered jurisdictions. The Division seeks to identify polling places that appear to have large numbers of language minority voters and ascertain whether these polling places are served by a sufficient number of bilingual poll officials.

The Division also looks at the full range of information provided by covered jurisdictions to voters in English - not just the ballot and election pamphlets themselves, but also newspaper notices required by state law, website information, and other election information - and seeks to determine whether the same information is being made available to each language minority community and whether the translated materials are actually provided in polling places and made available to voters.

The Division monitors elections as needed to determine whether programs are being implemented as required by the Voting Rights Act.

The Division, when necessary, has filed litigation to enforce the language minority requirements.

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Congress enacted the language minority provisions because it found that: [T]hrough the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process. Among other factors, the denial of the right to vote of such minority group citizens is ordinarily directly related to the unequal educational opportunities afforded them resulting in high illiteracy and low voting participation.

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League of Women Voters of California | Education Fund

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Upcoming Election

November 5, 2024: California General Election

The Easy Voter Guide will be available for voters in early September 2024.

Need Print Copies for Distribution?

Orders for print copies will be accepted from August 5th to 30th using the link below.

Looking for a previous election?

Produced for statewide elections in California since 1994, the Easy Voter Guide is a collaboration of the League of Women Voters® of California Education Fund and the California State Library. This project is supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

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Easy Voter Guide Your Vote. Your Voice. Upcoming Election November 5, 2024: California General Election The Easy Voter Guide will be available for voters

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Center for Civic Design: Voter guides: Planning for multiple languages

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Center for Civic Design: Voter guides: Planning for multiple languages

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Center for civic design | Ensuring voter intent through design.

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There are several ways to handle including multiple languages in your guide. While there is no best way, there are nuances that should be considered when deciding what will work best for your districts. Importantly, make sure to understand the language rules for your state and how this will affect your layout decisions.

Common layouts for multiple languages

For those counties that require more than two languages, voter guides are generally divided into different books with one language in each. While not common, there are trilingual voter guides - with three languages. We do recommend sticking to two languages when possible.

Different layout options for bilingual books include:

Half and half: this layout is two books in one with English in the front and the translated language in the back. The sample ballot is generally placed right in the middle of the guide to divide the two languages.

Top and bottom: not as commonly seen, this layout has both languages on the same page with English at the top and the translated language at the bottom.

Interleaved: this layout puts English on one page and the translated language on the back. The setback with this layout is that the translated language becomes hidden and may not be as easily found by voters.

A note about the interleaved layout - in testing in Santa Cruz, California we learned that it can be quite successful to have Spanish on the left side of a 2-page spread (that is with the booklet open) with English on the right, visually dominant side. We recommend this as the most readable version of the interleaving layout.

While the above layout types mostly separate the different languages, there are several pages that should have both languages on the same page. These are pages that would be difficult to include two of in the guide, such as the cover, the inside front cover, the back cover, and any forms. This also includes pages that have short bits of information and would leave too much white space if limited to one language.

Tips for bilingual layout

When creating a bilingual voter guide with any layout, make sure to:

Be as consistent as possible with the layout. A consistent layout helps show voters how to find information in their preferred language.

Signal the languages available in near the top of the page. This helps voters quickly see whether they have to scan the whole page for information in a specific language.

Use visual indications to differentiate the languages. It can be helpful to use a slightly smaller font size, using italics on forms, or even a slight color difference-as long as the visual differences aren't too large.

Remember to mark languages in your word processor or on the web so that the guide is coded for the correct language. This will help screen readers know what language to use and how to correctly pronounce words.

Lessons from the research

Here's what we learned from testing in California:

Available languages must be visible on the cover and in that language, even if the guide is divided into different books.

Monolingual speakers of both Spanish and English preferred the languages in sections, such as in the half and half layout.

Bilingual speakers preferred the interleaving facing pages layout because it helped them compare the two languages and improved their understanding. Being able to compare was useful for voters since some election words do not exist in Spanish or voters may be unfamiliar. Also consider that voters may have limited language in both languages, so showing both languages offers extra support.

Several English language speakers preferred the interleaved pages because they support language access or were curious.

Testing in Los Angeles showed that it is harder to distinguish English from Spanish than from a language that uses a different alphabet or characters, such as Korean.

Resources

Your state may have an official glossary of election terms.

If not, the Election Assistance Commission has Glossaries of Election Terminologies in 6 languages: Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese

← Back to Designing a voter guide

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Voter guides: Planning for multiple languages | Center for civic design

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Deciding early how to include multiple languages is important to the structure of the guide. There are several ways to handle including multiple languages in your guide. While there is no best way, there are nuances that should be considered when deciding what will work best for your districts.

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APIA In-Language Voter Information Resources

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APIA In-Language Voter Information Resources

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Click from the language options below to learn essential information for voting in the US in your preferred language.

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EAC.gov: Language Access Resources: Translated Materials

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EAC.gov: Language Access Resources: Translated Materials

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Glossaries of Election Terminology

National Mail Voter Registration Form

Voting 101: Election Information for New Voters

Voter's Guide to Federal Elections

Effective Designs for the Administration of Federal Elections

14 Facts About Voting in Federal Elections

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Language Access Resources | U.S. Election Assistance Commission

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Refugee and Immigration Services Catholic Charities Milwaukee U.S. Election Info!

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Refugee and Immigration Services Catholic Charities Milwaukee U.S. Election Info!

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U.S. Election Info! (Af-Somali)

U.S. Election Info! (Arabic عربي)

U.S. Election Info! (Burmese ဗမာစကား)

U.S. Election Info! (Dari دری)

U.S. Election Info! (en Español)

U.S. Election Info! (English)

U.S. Election Info! (Karen)

U.S. Election Info! (kwa Kiswahili)

U.S. Election Info! (Pashto پښتو)

U.S. Election Info! (Rohingya)

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Esta lista de reproducción forma parte de Todo sobre la Constitución, una serie de 35 videos cortos que explica el texto, la historia y la relevancia de la C…

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How to Vote in Every State (The Vlog Brothers)

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How to Vote in Every State (The Vlog Brothers)

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American English at State: Election Vocabulary 2

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American English at State: Election Vocabulary 2

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American English at State: Election Vocabulary 1

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American English at State: Election Vocabulary 1

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uscitizenpod: National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week Civics Quiz

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uscitizenpod: National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week Civics Quiz

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PBS: How to Keep Your Vote Private — and What to Do If You're Facing Pressure

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PBS: How to Keep Your Vote Private — and What to Do If You're Facing Pressure

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Last month, in a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), the founder of a "divorce registry" company wrote that the question " Can my husband find out who I am voting for in the Presidential Election? " was one she'd been hearing "a lot."

"There are a number of people that live in households where certain members of their family might have very strong opinions and want people in their household to share those opinions," said Kim Alexander, the president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation. "It's difficult when it's somebody who is close to you [like] a family member, trying to pressure you to vote a certain way."

But as "a voter, you have the right to vote a secret ballot," Alexander said.

So what can you do if you're feeling under pressure at home to vote a certain way? How can you successfully hide who you vote for from your partner, parents or roommates - especially if you're in an abusive domestic situation? Read on to learn more about your rights when it comes to voting and ways you can protect the voting privacy the law entitles you.

Every situation is different, and as such, this guide can't provide legal advice for your own circumstances. Remember also that advice for people on how to protect their voting privacy is not to suggest there's some kind of voter fraud epidemic of people's ballots being used in a way they hadn't intended.

If you suspect your voting rights are being violated, you can reach out to the secretary of state.

Nobody can find out who you voted for

Your voting record - that is, which candidates you've voted for in the past - is never made public and is not findable online anywhere.

What is technically findable online: Your political party preference on your voter registration - i.e., whether you're registered to vote as a Republican, a Democrat or "no party preference," also known as an independent voter. (For what it's worth, unlike the primary elections earlier this year, you can vote for any presidential candidate in the upcoming November general election - not just the candidate with the party you're registered with.)

Voter registration isn't available to the general public, but California law allows some of your information - including your party registration and which elections you voted in - to be released to certain people, including political candidates and anyone who will use it for "election, scholarly, journalistic or political purpose or for governmental purposes," according to the secretary of state.

History fact: From the colonial days to the 1890s, voting was very much a public act. Secret ballots were an idea borrowed from Australia, and since then, Americans "feel very protective of" their votes being private, Alexander said.

In the modern day, Alexander said, nobody should be able to find out how anybody voted - unless the voter made a photocopy of their ballot or showed someone their ballot. (A few years ago, there was a controversy over people taking "ballot selfies," but that law was changed in California in 2017 to permit such photos.)

In short, the only way someone can find out how you voted in November is if you choose to tell them.

Voting in person may be the safest bet

It's OK to receive assistance filling out your ballot - whether you are a teen asking for advice about candidates or a parent asking their kid to help translate sentences.

But lines could potentially be crossed into coercion. And if you feel that is your case, Alexander suggested you should try voting in person.

"If you go to vote in person, you have the privacy of the voting booth, and your ballot is absolutely secret," she said. (People can receive assistance at the polls: For example, the person accompanying the voter may need to complete paperwork to say that the voter has difficulty reading, speaking or writing in English.)

Guidance from the National Network to End Domestic Violence reads people can vote "when their abuser is busy," bring a friend with them to the polls for support, and talk to a poll worker if they have concerns.

The organization said people should do their candidate research before they vote, so the process itself of filling out their ballot can go as quickly as possible in the moment - and decrease chances of running into someone at the polling station.

You can also vote in person before Election Day. Information about this process will be available on the state's website closer to November. You can also reach out to your county's election office to learn more about early voting in person.

Worried about your ballot? You can fill it out and seal it straightaway

If you are in a situation where you are concerned someone is trying to influence how you vote on your mail-in ballot, and voting in person isn't an option for you, Alexander recommends that you can fill out your mail-in ballot in private and then put it in the envelope straightaway, signing and dating it immediately.

"If somebody in your household wants to find out how you voted, they would have to break a federal law and tamper with your mail," she said.

Your signature will be verified (so someone else can't sign it)

Someone cannot - under the penalty of perjury - fill out your ballot, sign your name and turn it in. This is a felony.

What's more, your signature on your ballot envelope must match the signature you provided when you registered to vote - which is usually the same as the one on your California driver's license or state ID card.

Your county elections office has a robust system in place to flag ballot envelope signatures that don't match the signature on record for that voter to make sure they weren't filled out and signed by someone else. So if your county's election staff receives your ballot and detects that signature mismatch on your ballot, they'll reach out to you via mail to verify whether it's yours or not (also known as "curing" a ballot).

But someone else is allowed to turn in your ballot

If you can't return your ballot yourself, " you may designate any person to return the ballot to the elections official or the precinct board at any polling place within the jurisdiction," according to the secretary of state. Alexander pointed out that "you do have to fill out on the ballot your relationship to the voter and sign it if you're turning in a ballot for someone else."

"Ballot harvesting" - in which groups collect piles of votes to drop them off - is legal in California. However, the people collecting the ballots cannot force you to vote in any way. If this person is part of the same organization or party as you - and you feel uncomfortable - you can also ask to turn it in yourself.

California's 'Safe At Home' program can keep your voter registration private

While the contents of your vote are private, your voter registration information may not be - which is a recurring concern for survivors of domestic abuse or harassment who don't want details like their home address known.

This is because, as above, certain people - including political candidates and anyone who will use it for "election, scholarly, journalistic or political purpose or for governmental purposes" - can request a person's voter registration information under California law. Although your social security number, your driver's license number and your signature will always stay private, your address, party preference and birth date can be accessed this way.

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How to Keep Your Vote Private - and What to Do If You're Facing Pressure | KQED

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Every American has the right to voter privacy. Here's a guide to various situations in which voting privacy could be compromised and what you can do about it.

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Presidential Debate Bingo | League of Women Voters

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Compete to be the first to get “BINGO” while watching the presidential candidate debates!

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More info from Vote Riders available here.

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Learn about how Google and YouTube can help amplify your message and protect your information. These trainings will cover how to use Google tools to establish your online presence and boost engagement with your audience.

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Learn about how Google and YouTube can help amplify your message and protect your information.

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Change Agent Packet 33: Advocate, Organize, Vote (Aug 2024)

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Change Agent Packet 33: Advocate, Organize, Vote (Aug 2024)

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Issue 62 of Change Agent: Advocate, Organize, Vote (Aug 2024) is available via subscription. Packet 30 features Voting Rights. Packet 33 includes activities for the upcoming election. More is available at changeagent.nelrc.org

Be an Informed Voter

Participate in the Elections — Citizens and Non-Citizens

Share Your Story of Leadership

These resources are available free via Skillblox: The Change Agent

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In honor of our 20th Anniversary, we are creating lesson packets with Change Agent articles from across issues. Check back to see as new packets are added. Have you mined The Change Agent for interesting groupings of articles? Send us your ideas! If your lesson idea is selected, we would like to share it with others and give you a free one-year individual subscription in return. Is there a topic you would like to see us explore? Contact us and let us know about it.

These lesson packets are freely available for you to download, edit, and use. We hope that you'll sign up for our mailing list so that we can notify you when new lesson packets or other resources are added to the site.

Lesson Packets

Learn Writing by Studying a Writer

Exploring Ratio by Looking at Prison Statistics

Thinking About Becoming a CNA?

Workplace Safety - Learn It and Teach It

Reading Partners

Celebrating Freedom on Juneteenth: Reading Closely, Studying Further, and Learning Mechanics at Three Levels

Joys and Challenges of Holidays: Gathering Evidence from the Text

Write to the Writer by Gale Czerski

Making Sense of Extreme Inequality (and Scaffolding to Complex Text)

Taking Action at Work

Race and Voting Rights in 2016: Lesson Ideas

Facing Racism

Women Dealing with Domestic Violence

Homework Swap

Hair Care Recipes

Using Math to Start a Poultry Farm

Indigenous People's issue: Beginning Literacy Adaptations

Summer Reading Log

Become a Census 2020 Ambassador

Help Someone Understand the Census (beginner, intermediate and advanced)

How to Fill Out the Questionnaire

Avoid Hoaxes, Scams, and Rumors

Become a Voting Ambassador - in Print and Google Slides

Voter Suppression vs. Fraud - in Print and Google Slides

"Pandemic Haircut" - in Print, Google Slides, and Audio

Teach about Race in the Adult Ed. Classroom - 4 Google Slide Presentations

Stories from Mental Health: Learning, Coping, Healing - Google Slide Presentation

Career Exploration Packets - nursing, peer counseling, and transferable skills

What Pushes and What Pulls Immigrants to the U.S.? - includes a collection of articles and an adaptable graphic organizer for taking notes

Teach about the Upcoming Elections (2024)

Climate Change Refugees - Numeracy, Literacy, and Science

Including LGBTQ Voices in the Classroom

Lesson Packets 33

PACket 1: Learn Writing by Studying a Writer

Our first in a new series of teacher resources is an exploration of three articles written by Timothy Lovett published in three different issues of The Change Agent (Good Jobs, Not Just Any Jobs; All About Food; and Prisons and Justice?) The articles are accompanied by a lesson plan that is aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards. This lesson plan zeroes in on writing anchor standards 1-5, breaking them down into plain English, providing you with a way to teach them to students, and offering student writing that models the anchor standards for your learners. You, as the teacher, get a clear-cut way to address standards, and your students get the added motivation of learning the standards not from an expert, but from someone just like them - a student who is modeling increasing mastery of writing skills - and at the same time writing about interesting topics in a sometimes humorous and always compelling way.
Download Packet 1: Teach Writing by Studying Writers
Packet 2: Exploring Ratio by Looking at Prison Statistics

This lesson is meant to supplement instruction on ratio and is aimed at those who are comfortable or getting comfortable at Level C in the CCR standards. This lesson first explores ratio and then offers students the opportunity to think critically about ratio in the context of socially relevant data presented in two kinds of charts. Answer sheets are provided - for the teacher's reference only or to share with students - your choice.
Download Packet 2: Exploring Ratio by Looking at Prison Statistics
Packet 3: Thinking About Becoming a CNA?

This lesson is designed to provide CCR-aligned activities in the context of content that provides information about work as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The readings are GLE 5-8.
Download Packet 3: Thinking About Becoming a CNA?
Packet 4: Workplace Safety - Learn It and Teach It

This lesson is designed to increase reading, math, and presentation skills in the context of materials that explain health and safety laws as well as specific practices that workers - particularly those in environmental services or housekeeping - can use to stay safe on the job. Since one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it, this lesson plan includes the opportunity for students to teach what they have learned.
Download Packet 4: Workplace Safety - Learn It and Teach It
Packet 5: Reading Partners

This rich lesson packet provides relevant reading and writing opportunities, builds relationships between immigrant students and other receiving community members, and helps English Language Learners connect with community resources. In "Reading Partners," English language learners and members of receiving communities read one or two selected articles from The Change Agent and then use the writing prompts to engage in an exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives about the article topic. There are eight articles to choose from - articles about moving to a new community, work, health, schooling and parenting.

The aim of this activity is to use text as a way to get people from different communities talking (through writing) about topics of common interest. Programs that have partnerships with local organizations can use the activities to bring students into conversation with these partners (health care providers who want to connect with immigrants about health, employers who are interested in hiring immigrants, etc.). However, there are many opportunities to communicate across communities right in our own programs: this activity could be carried out by ABE and ESL classes that partner to read and correspond about the same articles, by program volunteers that partner with students, or by diverse student pairs in one classroom.
Download Packet 5: Reading Partners Packet 5 Tech Tip: Converting a Lesson to Integrate Technology
PACKET 6: celebrating freedom on juneteenth: Reading closely, studying further, and learning mechanics at three levels

"Juneteenth" is the celebration of June 19, 1865, when slaves in Texas learned they were free - two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This activity includes text (at three different grade level equivalents or GLEs) and art work. The text shares a family's oral account of being slaves in Texas in 1865 when word of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached them, a description of Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, and the ways an artist has preserved family history with her artwork. Students also have a chance to look at and analyze two full-color paintings by Sonia Sadler. The text is available at three different levels (GLE 4, 7 and 10). The aim of this activity is to provide students with an engaging, relevant text that allows them to develop key reading and writing skills and knowledge about U.S. history.
Instructions for Lesson packet #6 Download one or more texts for Packet 6: GLE 04, GLE 07, GLE 10
Packet 7: Joys and Challenges of Holidays: Gathering Evidence from the Text

Use the graphic organizer we provide (p. 36) or create your own to help students analyze four essays about holidays. They will investigate the text to find what the author says are "fun aspects" of the holiday as well as "challenging aspects" of the holiday, and they will write a paragraph based on the essays. The four essays are: "Christmas Changed" (also available in audio on The Change Agent website) by Diana Solorzano, "Taking the Good with the Bad" by Gregory Parker, "Celebrating Eid" by Nuzhat Jahan, and "My Diwali" by Sue Byman. The holidays also represent diverse religious traditions - Christmas (Christian), Eid (Muslim), and Diwali (Hindu) - so these texts also lend themselves to social studies explorations, such as geography, world religions, immigration patterns, and more. The texts used are levels 7-8 (grade level equivalent). CCR standards addressed are Level D (GLE 6-8.9). The aim of this activity is to provide students with engaging, relevant stories that help them practice the important CCR skill of using evidence from the text to be able to explain what the author is saying.
Download Packet 7: Joys and Challenges of Holidays
Packet 8: Write to the Writer by Gale Czerski

This lesson packet provides students with the opportunity to write back to Change Agent writers.

Find a description of Lesson Packet 8 here with downloadable articles and worksheets.

Packet 9: Making sense of Extreme Inequality (and Scaffolding to Complex Text)

Use these four articles from The Change Agent to examine extreme inequality and to consider the policy changes over the past 50 years that have increased wealth and income inequality. During the course of this lesson, students will be scaffolded to read a fairly complex text.
Download Packet 9: Making Sense of Extreme Inequality
PACKET 10: Taking action at work

Use this selection (or a subset of the selection) of multi-level articles written
(mostly) by students to teach reading skills and to spark discussion about the role of workers in determining what happens in the workplace.
Download Packet 10: Taking Action at Work
Packet 11: Race and Voting Rights in 2016: Lesson Ideas

Use the context of this election year to explore voting rights in the past and present. This packet includes pre- and post-activities, the hands-on History of Voting Rights activity, a link to a history of voting rights video, an article by Andy Nash on race and voting rights, and more stories and facts and figures about current voting restrictions.
Download level 10 version for advanced learners.
Download level 6 version for intermediate learners.
Packet 12: Facing Racism

White supremacist rallies, anti-immigrant jargon, and acts of racism, islamophobia, and anti-semitism - these frightening realities mark the beginning of the school year in 2017. As your program gets back into full gear this fall, please consider ways to infuse these high-quality, relevant materials into your classroom. They will help provide a safe and welcoming culture in your program, and they are effective ESOL and ABE teaching tools. These teacher-designed materials are associated with the "Talking about Race" issue of The Change Agent (Issue #42). To access that issue, you need a Username and PW, which you can get be purchasing an online subscription. To teach the lessons provided below, however, you don't need to do anything except click on the link. All the materials are freely provided.

"Existing While Black": A Worksheet for ESOL Learners by Lisa Gimbel
A 4-page worksheet with pre-reading activities (including definition of expressions and practice with expressions, vocabulary, and slang) and post-reading activities (including basics, language review, and comprehension).

"Best Practices for Talking about Race" by Lisa Gimbel and Riva Pearson
A collection wide-ranging tips from personal practice to curriculum to program and community-wide ideas.

"Teaching to Unlearn Racism" by Judy Hofer

"Who Paved the Way?" by Kathleen Budway
Pre- and post-activities (plus handouts) you can use with a short film made by an ESOL teacher in which her students talk about how it affected them to study African-American history and current events.

"Preparing My Students to Write about Race" by Hazel Robin
A teacher shares how she introduced The Change Agent "Call for Articles" on the theme of race. Rather than starting out by asking students to speak from experience, she asks them to conduct research and learn some science behind race. Creating an evidence-based context, she then invites them to respond to The Change Agent writing prompts.

"Exploring Racism: Police, Stereotypes, and the Possibility of a Better World" by Manny Reynoso
A teacher-created lesson that explores the definition of racism and incorporates a first-person story by someone who grew up afraid of the police. Finally, the lesson explores the possibility of a better world - using a video and discussion prompts.

"The Construction of Race in the U.S.: An Early History" by Cynthia Peters
This is a GLE 10 version of the GLE 6 article by the same name that appears on p. 22 of the "Talking about Race" issue. It includes CCR-aligned activities at the end.

"Using Sources: Unpacking a Well-Researched Article" by Kathleen O'Connell
This activity, based on "The 'Chief Illiniwek' Half-Time Show" on p. 8 of the Race issue, helps students examine and assess sources.

"Race and Voting Rights in 2016: Lesson Ideas" - by Andy Nash and Cynthia Peters
Use the context of this election year to explore voting rights in the past and present. This packet includes pre- and post-activities, the hands-on History of Voting Rights activity, a link to a history of voting rights video, an article by Andy Nash on race and voting rights, and more stories and facts and figures about current voting restrictions. Two versions are available:
- Race and Voting Rights in 2016 for advanced learners (Level 10)
- Race and Voting Rights in 2016 for intermediate learners (Level 6)

New! Two students discuss why we should talk about race in the adult education classroom

Packet 13: women dealing with domestic violence
Download Packet 13: Women Dealing with Domestic Violence
This packet contains three articles from Issue #19 of The Change Agent, "Women and Literacy." Two of the articles by practitioners reveal the effect of violence and domestic abuse on women learners. A third article, written by a learner, tells a story of trauma and resilience.

Packet 14: Homework swap
Download Packet 14: Homework Swap
The activity in this packet is modeled after the famous "Yankee Swap" party game. In this version, participants draw an assignment and then can swap assignments if there's one they prefer - so there are lots of opportunities for students to talk to each other as they navigate all the swapping.

Packet 15: Hair Care RECIPES
Download Packet 15: Hair Care Recipes
Use this collection of homemade of hair care recipes to practice reading, writing, and math. Take it further by creating a class recipe book of DIY personal care products and perhaps making some in class to use and/or share as gifts.

Packet 16: using math to start a poultry farm
Download the article with discussion questions and math problems and the solutions and extensions. Get the adaptable Excel spreadsheet here and the adaptable worksheet (in Word) here.
This true story about starting a poultry farm, written by an immigrant learner in Colorado, is a great way to teach math, reading, writing, and spreadsheet skills in a real-world context.

Packet 17: indigenous people's issue: beginning literacy adaptations
Download Packet 17: Beginning Literacy Adaptations
This 13-page packet contains five pieces, all written at about a fourth grade equivalency level. All the pieces (except for the first) are adapted from articles that appear in the "Indigenous Peoples" issue of The Change Agent. If your class is multi-level, you can teach from different levels of the same piece.

Packet 18: summer reading log
Download Packet 18: Summer Reading Log
Keep your students engaged with reading this summer by sharing this resource with them: a log of Change Agent articles that they read and listened to using our online audio.
Download Packet 19: Become a Census 2020 Ambassador
Packet 19: Become a 2020 Census ambassador

Census Planning and Tracking Grid. - Download Word doc and adapt as needed.

Packet 20: help someone understand the census

The purpose of this packet is to teach census basics, so that a student could explain what they learn to someone else. Thanks to the National Coalition for Literacy for generously supporting the development of these materials.
Download Packet 20: Help Someone Understand the Census (beginner, intermediate, or advanced)

The beginner packet has articles that have been adapted to be accessible for students reading at grade-level-equivalent 4. The After-You-Read activities are designed for beginners.

The intermediate packet has a mix of articles from Level 4 to Level 6. The After-You-Read activities are modified to be intermediate level.

The advanced packet has the same readings as the intermediate packet, but it includes the option to do additional research and learn more about how to evaluate the credibility of online sources, and it has more options for how to present the information learned.

Packet 21: how to fill out the questionnaire
Download Packet 21:How to Fill Out the Questionnaire
This beginner-level lesson packet supports students to fill out the 2020 census questionnaire in three different ways. Both the PDF and online questionnaires are near exact replicas of the Census Bureau's versions, except they are shorter. The paper copy has vocabulary and explanations on p. 2 of this packet. The online version has vocabulary and explanations embedded in the web pages.

Packet 22: avoid hoaxes, scams, and rumors
Download Packet 22: Avoid Hoaxes, Scams, and Rumors
This intermediate-level lesson packet gives students a chance to work on reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills in the context of relevant, timely information about protecting against fraud during the 2020 census.

Packet 23: Become a Voting Ambassador

This 10-page packet guides teachers to train students to be Voting Ambassadors. Students learn basics about voting - the issues and the procedures - and decide whether they'd like to take on the project of supporting others in their community to register and vote. Special attention given to carrying out this project-based learning opportunity safely during the pandemic. And we include a special article about voting during uncertain times. It is mostly intermediate- to advanced-level, and it gives students a chance to work on reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills in the context of a highly (!) relevant civics moment.

Packet 24: voter suppression vs. Fraud

During the 2020 election, we are hearing a lot about both voter suppression and voter fraud. What are they? How should we evaluate the claims about them? This 5-page lesson packet offers some definitions and activities on this topic, and asks students to develop their own questions and then research the answers.

PACKET 25: "PANDEMIC HAIRCUT" IN PRINT, SLIDES, AND AUDIO

Even though the pandemic has been catastrophic for so many people, student writers in the Pandemic issue of The Change Agent note the ways it has brought gifts. In this example, a student from Rhode Island says the pandemic makes her feel like "we are in a war." Yet she goes on to describe how she and her husband found an opportunity to "laugh and be joyful." For her, it happened when her husband asked her to cut his hair. She watched some tutorials on YouTube and then sat her husband on a stool in the bathtub where he got his first pandemic haircut. For your classroom, mix and match these three ways of accessing the article and activities.

PACKET 26: Teach about race in the adult education classroom

These four Google Slide Presentations were developed by Riva Pearson (JVS) and Cynthia Peters (World Education) for teachers to copy and adapt and use in their remote or in-person classroom.

Black Lives Matter - high intermediate ESOL

Talking to the Police - high intermediate ESOL

Introduction to Racism in the U.S. - high intermediate ESOL

Equality vs. Equity - can be adapted for various levels

PACKET 27: Stories from Mental Health - Learning, Coping, Healing

This Google Slide Presentation was developed by Cynthia Peters and Ebony Vandross (World Education) for teachers to copy and adapt and use in their remote or in-person classroom. Three more Google Slide presentations from the "Mental Health" issue (#52) are available, but you need an online subscription to access them.

"No Sick Days? That's Bad for Your Physical and Mental Health"

PACKET 28: career exploration packets - nursing, peer counseling, transferable skills

These four packets are collected from Issue #53 plus other issues of The Change Agent.

PACKET 29: what pushes and what pulls immigrants to the U.S.?

This packet of four articles from Issue #56 of The Change Agent explore various reasons why immigrants leave their country of origin and what draws them to the U.S. The last page of the packet is a graphic oranizer, where students can take notes about what "pushes" and what "pulls" immigrants to the U.S. (To extend this activity to include a digital literacy component, use this Google doc version of the graphic organizer. This version is "view only." To adapt it and/or to share it with your students, you must make a copy of it or download it.)

PACKET 30: Teach about the upcoming elections (2024)

Train Students to Become Voting Ambassadors
Training students to be Voting Ambassadors is a great way to engage in civics, practice speaking and listening in relevant and authentic contexts, learn digital skills, gain transferable skills, and develop leadership. This activity is aligned with IELCE requirements and other standards. Use this set of Google slides to get started. (It includes a link to a Google doc worksheet that helps students plan, take action, and reflect on their work.) More materials forthcoming in early 2024.

Teach the History of Voting Rights
This 9-page PDF includes a dynamic activity and video that teach the history of voting rights, an article about race and voting rights, and a worksheet that helps the student assess what they've learned and take it further.

Explore the Difference between Voter Suppression and Fraud
See Lesson Packet #24 above.

PACKET 31: Climate Refugees - numeracy, literacy, and science

This packet includes two articles by students about how climate change is a factor in creating refugees, one article giving background on how carbon affects our atmosphere, and a Google slideshow (developed by two math specialists) that teaches numeracy in the context of evaluating claims about climate change. Mix and match these resources for your own teaching purposes:
1.Climate Refugees by Efren Macias Ojeda - 2-page PDF with colorful data maps, and pre- and post-reading activities
2.Better Future: At Home, There Are No Jobs, The Cities Are Unsafe, and The Rivers Run Dry by Hortensia Reza - 2 page PDF with reading, writing, and pronunciation activities
3.The Earth's Atmosphere: Thinner than the Skin of an Apple - 1 page PDF picture story that explains how carbon affects the atmosphere
4.Climate Refugees - an adaptable slideshow that combines the content from #1 and #3 above and presents it (with more images and activities) in the Google slides
5.Math in Text: Hortensia's Story - a Google slides numeracy lesson that uses excerpts from "Better Future" (#2 above) to create a lesson around reading and understanding numbers in text
ALSO...check out The Change Agent's Issue #27, "Making Sense of Climate Change"

PACKET 32: Including LGBTQ voices in the classroom

Many of our students are LGBTQ, but they don't often see themselves reflected in the reading materials we bring into the classroom. This collection of three articles takes a step towards correcting that. Note: the levels are grade-level equivalents (GLE).

"What Would You Do If I Was Gay?" My Brother Said He Would Disown Me
by Anonymous - GLE 5

Fight on 'Til the End
by Annette Bowen - GLE 7

Different from Other Girls
by Sun Young Kim - GLE 6

For ideas about how to respond to homophobia if/when it shows up in your classroom, check out these two Change Agent articles written by teachers ("Coming Out to Students" by Deborah Schwartz, and " Homophobia in the Classroom" by Cynthia Peters). In each, they share their strategies for handling challenging situations. The best practices for talking about race in the classroom offered by Lisa Gimbel and Riva Pearson in this article are also excellent best practices for talking about gender and sexuality. As always, teachers are the best judge of when and how to bring up topics that may bring a range of responses in the classroom.

PACKET 33:

Be an Informed Voter

Participate in the Elections - Citizens and Non-Citizens

Share Your Story of Leadership

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In honor of our 20th Anniversary, we are creating lesson packets with Change Agent articles from across issues. Check back to see as new packets are added. Have you mined The Change Agent for interesting groupings of articles? Send us your ideas!

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NPNA: An emerging voting bloc with a powerful message, “Now that we've Naturalized, Let's vote!”

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NPNA: An emerging voting bloc with a powerful message, “Now that we've Naturalized, Let's vote!”

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An emerging voting bloc with a powerful message, “Now that we’ve Naturalized, Let’s vote!”

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Since the last presidential election, over 3.5 million people have naturalized nationwide and may be eligible to vote this year, creating a huge opportunity…

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VOA News: Some voters blame media for U.S. polarization as election nears

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VOA News: Some voters blame media for U.S. polarization as election nears

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Some voters blame media for U.S. polarization as election nears

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Slate: This Creepy Trump Pic Shows Why Our Elections Are Doomed

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Slate: This Creepy Trump Pic Shows Why Our Elections Are Doomed

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"Holz told users at that meeting that “this moderation stuff is kind of hard.” It’s not that hard. Donald Trump might think he’s president, but Midjourney should know better."

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Who is the president of the United States? It's Joe Biden, of course. But one popular artificial intelligence app thinks otherwise.

While A.I. models have been known to hallucinate (i.e., make stuff up), they typically don't mess up extremely simple things like name the president. If you ask OpenAI's ChatGPT who the U.S. president is, it'll give you the correct answer, a short bio, and links to the White House website and Biden's Wikipedia article. The same is true for Anthropic's Claude and Meta AI, while Google's Gemini straight-up refuses to answer the question because it's related to politics. "I can't help with responses on elections and political figures right now," it told me. "I'm trained to be as accurate as possible but I can make mistakes sometimes. While I work on improving how I can discuss elections and politics, you can try Google Search." Good grief.

But that hesitation to engage with anything political is rooted in legitimate concerns about how artificial intelligence can be weaponized to influence elections, spread disinformation, and scam people. There are often more safeguards for text-to-image models than your standard chatbots-and for good reason. Fake images of political figures could create mass chaos and confusion. If you thought Pope Francis really did wear a white puffer coat, you might be more likely to believe that deepfaked pics of Trump with Black voters are real.

When I asked DALL-E, OpenAI's text-to-image generator, to generate images of Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it flat-out refused, citing the company's usage policy. When I asked it to generate a model of the "president of the United States," it manufactured a cartoonish white man with a chiseled jaw who looks like he could be the president in a mid-aughts rom-com set in Washington, D.C. No Biden, no Trump, just a hunky POTUS cosplayer.

The image generator Midjourney has similar rules. When I asked it to make an image of the candidates, it gave me an error message: "Sorry! The Midjourney community voted to prevent using 'Donald Trump' and 'Joe Biden' during election season." Since June 2023, according to screenshots recorded on the Internet Archive, Midjourney's community guidelines have stipulated, "You may not use the Services to generate images for political campaigns, or to try to influence the outcome of an election."

But in early March, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a British nonprofit, released a report showing how Midjourney and other image generators could be used to reliably generate deepfake political images-such as Biden in a hospital gown, Trump getting arrested, and a dumpster full of voting ballots. A week later the company started banning images of the two nominees, the Associated Press reported.

But that was nearly four months ago.

This week, when I asked Midjourney for images of the president of the United States (specifically, "Please make me an image of the president of the United States"), it produced a stream of pictures of ... Donald Trump. I kept repeating the prompt ... more Trump. Midjourney spits out four images at a time to give users options. I kept getting four images of Donald Trump-some looked hand-painted, some like photographs, some moody, some smiling, all showing Trump with the trappings of his former office.

One of the 16 images I generated on Midjourney showed Barack Obama. None showed Joe Biden-or anyone else. Midjourney did not respond to multiple requests for comment about its content policies and why its image generator not only violates its own rules but also shows Trump as the current president.

There are good reasons why Midjourney may spit out images of Donald Trump when prompted. Trump is surely one of the most photographed people in human history-his face is slapped all over the web alongside the word "president." Wherever Midjourney is gobbling up images, it can't really avoid the ubiquity of Trump's countenance.

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I've played around with image generators for a year-Midjourney routinely takes a more laissez-faire approach to content moderation than DALL-E. "I don't really care about political speech," founder David Holz told users in a meeting in March. "That's not the purpose of Midjourney. It's not that interesting to me. That said, I also don't want to spend all of my time trying to police political speech. So we're going to have [to] put our foot down on it a bit."

Without government regulations placing constraints on how artificial intelligence applications safeguard against deceptive content, companies have to figure it out themselves‍-something they're surely thrilled about.And Midjourney reportedly has only a dozen employees-a tiny force compared with thousands working at OpenAI or A.I.-focused employees at Silicon Valley behemoths.

Holz told users at that meeting that "this moderation stuff is kind of hard." It's not that hard. Donald Trump might think he's president, but Midjourney should know better.

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These Weird Pics of Donald Trump Have a Much Darker Backstory

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We asked A.I. who the president is-and immediately regretted it.

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VOA News: Lack of legal framework complicates policing political deepfakes

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VOA News: Lack of legal framework complicates policing political deepfakes

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Lack of legal framework complicates policing political deepfakes | VOANews

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VOA News: Complaints about non-citizen voting center on US voter ID laws

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VOA News: Complaints about non-citizen voting center on US voter ID laws

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Complaints about non-citizen voting center on US voter ID laws

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DOJ: About Language Minority Voting Rights

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DOJ: About Language Minority Voting Rights

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Congress enacted the language minority provisions because it found that:

[T]hrough the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process. Among other factors, the denial of the right to vote of such minority group citizens is ordinarily directly related to the unequal educational opportunities afforded them resulting in high illiteracy and low voting participation. The Congress declares that, in order to enforce the guarantees of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, it is necessary to eliminate such discrimination by prohibiting these practices, and by prescribing other remedial devices.

The language minority provisions of the Voting Rights Act require that when a covered state or political subdivision provides registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

The requirements of the law are straightforward: all election information that is available in English must also be available in the minority language so that all citizens will have an effective opportunity to register, learn the details of the elections, and cast a free and effective ballot.

Covered jurisdictions are determined by the Census Bureau based upon a formula set out in the Voting Rights Act. The most recent determinations for Section 203 were made on December 8, 2021.

Covered language minorities are limited to American Indians, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Spanish-heritage citizens - the groups that Congress found to have faced barriers in the political process.

A jurisdiction is covered under Section 203 where the number of United States citizens of voting age is a single language group within the jurisdiction:

Is more than 10,000, or

Is more than five percent of all voting age citizens, or

On an Indian reservation, exceeds five percent of all reservation residents; and

The illiteracy rate of the group is higher than the national illiteracy rate

The Civil Rights Division offers guidance to local election officials on how to comply with language minority provisions. These guidelines are entitled "Implementation of the Provisions of the Voting Rights Act Regarding Language Minority Groups." 28 C.F.R. Part 55.

Language Minority Guidelines Online: Updated version

In addition to guidelines and correspondence, the Division has held meetings with state and local election officials and minority community members in jurisdictions to explain the law, answer questions, and work to foster the implementation of effective programs.

The Division requests voter registration lists and bilingual poll official assignment data from covered jurisdictions. The Division seeks to identify polling places that appear to have large numbers of language minority voters and ascertain whether these polling places are served by a sufficient number of bilingual poll officials.

The Division also looks at the full range of information provided by covered jurisdictions to voters in English - not just the ballot and election pamphlets themselves, but also newspaper notices required by state law, website information, and other election information - and seeks to determine whether the same information is being made available to each language minority community and whether the translated materials are actually provided in polling places and made available to voters.

The Division monitors elections as needed to determine whether programs are being implemented as required by the Voting Rights Act.

The Division, when necessary, has filed litigation to enforce the language minority requirements.

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Congress enacted the language minority provisions because it found that: [T]hrough the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process. Among other factors, the denial of the right to vote of such minority group citizens is ordinarily directly related to the unequal educational opportunities afforded them resulting in high illiteracy and low voting participation.

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MPI: Globally, Voting Rights Have Increased for Immigrants and Emigrants

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MPI: Globally, Voting Rights Have Increased for Immigrants and Emigrants

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Center for Tech and Civic Life: Election Official Stories

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Center for Tech and Civic Life: Election Official Stories

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Election Official Stories

We share stories from election officials doing fantastic work.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, we encourage election officials to adopt best practices from other jurisdictions and learn from their successes.
Sign up to receive our monthly ELECTricity newsletter

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Harnessing the promise of technology to modernize the American voting experience

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USA Today: Elections 2024: Your first time voting stories

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USA Today: Elections 2024: Your first time voting stories

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USA TODAY's Your Vote text messages keep voters informed about the latest election updates and allow subscribers to communicate directly with our journalists about all things politics.

We asked our Your Vote subscribers from across the country what motivated them to vote for the first time.

Editor's note: These responses were submitted via text message and have been edited for clarity.

Ernie, New Jersey: I remember well my first time voting for president. Then, like now, many of us felt like we had an awful set of choices: Ronald Regan and Jimmy Carter. I look back at it differently now, but there were lots of reasons to be disillusioned, post-Watergate, troubled economy, hostage crisis, and more. I felt we needed someone inspirational. Ted Kennedy had a very controversial past but was inspiring. His speech at the Democratic National Convention was magical. I wrote in his name on my ballot and was very proud of that opportunity and responsibility and still am. Looking back at it, I appreciate what first-time voters must feel like now.

Mikaela, California: I was a poll worker before I was eligible to vote, and it really prepared me well for the actual voting process. My 18th birthday missed a presidential election by five months, but I still made it a point to make the municipal primaries. As the daughter of a lapsed Catholic, I tend to compare stepping out of a voting booth to stepping out of the confessional: I feel better for having done it, but I'm not always sure that I'm making a difference.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Christian, Arizona: When I was first able to vote, I volunteered for the McCain campaign, and he was one of the first Senators I voted for, I always looked up to him as a kid, with his military and political history. It was in 2015, I was 20 at the time.

Sandra, Virginia: For years, I was not interested in voting. In high school, teachers taught about the importance of casting your ballot. My mindset was voting was not going to change things, or it would not count. The first time I voted was when Obama ran for president the first time. I received a telephone call to actually be a volunteer at a polling station. I have voted ever since and continue to volunteer at my local precinct.

Mike, South Carolina: When I turned 18 in South Carolina, my dad and I went to the polls to vote in the presidential election. I remember voting for Nixon. It is a special memory of us, father and son, doing our patriotic privilege. My dad is long gone now, but the memory lingers. I felt like a man.
Prep for the polls: Your guide to the 2024 elections
Kathy: My first vote cast for president was 1972. I voted for Democrat George McGovern and have voted Democrat every four years since then. This time will be no exception. When I voted for McGovern, I was voting for the candidate that promised to end the Vietnam conflict and bring our soldiers home. I was hopeful as I cast my ballot, we all know how that went. Watching the returns and realizing that we had another four years of Nixon was disheartening, but little did we all know what great surprises were in store for us. Today, I am hopeful that as we get closer to November, more people will see how important it is that they vote and that their votes weigh in favor of democracy and the rule of law.

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Elections 2024: Your first time voting stories

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USA TODAY's texting campaign allows you to talk with our reporters. We asked you about your first time voting experience. Here are your stories.

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Carnegie: Voting Stories from Across the U.S.

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Carnegie: Voting Stories from Across the U.S.

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For nearly three decades I have documented and interviewed people as they participate in the foundations of our democracy: voting and helping others to vote. Registering voters, knocking on doors, canvassing voters, attending rallies, administering elections, working the polls, watching the polls, counting ballots, and standing in line and voting - people exercising their belief that each and every voice matters. As a photojournalist and as an active voter, they inspire me.

I was in the first wave of 18-year-olds eligible to vote. My college made it easy with a polling station set up in the student union. I didn't give much thought to the idea that my experience as a voter might differ from that of people in other parts of the country. That is, until I went to Selma to photograph the efforts of a group who came down to register voters, two decades after the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

I returned to the South, this time to Mississippi, twice in subsequent decades. The first time for a documentary that focused on the history of people struggling and dying for the right to vote. The second time was for the closely contested 2018 Senate runoffs. I wanted to see whether voter participation in the Magnolia State had changed. And it had.

I became inspired to learn more. That trip launched my nonpartisan photojournalism project, Documenting Democracy, which tells the stories of those who work to advance, protect, and participate in the vote. Throughout 2020, much of it during the height of the COVID pandemic, I traveled more than 24,000 miles across two dozen states as well as the District of Columbia. I photographed that election cycle from the start of the Iowa caucus through the Georgia runoffs right up to Inauguration Day. I consciously focused on voters and election workers in both swing and fly-over states and in states where battles for representation and voting rights have been - and continue to be - fought.

The photographs that follow are selected from my most recent travels, which have continued through the 2022 midterms. I returned to several of the states I had photographed earlier to learn how voting protocols now differed due to legislative or public health changes. I wanted to hear how views on voting and democracy may have been impacted by the barrage of news stories focused on skepticism about the integrity of our elections.

My photographs attempt to capture the actions of individuals who believe in the power of the vote and the importance of participating in ways large and small to strengthen our democracy.

Sue Dorfman is an independent documentary and human rights photojournalist, media strategist, and educator. She produced the documentary short Dying to Vote, and her photos have appeared in outlets such as ABC News, CNN, the Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal. She also photographs for ZUMA Press. Dorfman has been traveling across the country for nearly three decades - most recently in an RV nicknamed Doc-cy, short for her current photography project titled "Documenting Democracy."

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People Participation: Voting Stories from Across the U.S. | Carnegie Reporter Winter 2022 | Carnegie Corporation of New York

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Photojournalist Sue Dorfman has traveled the country documenting individuals as they exercise their right to vote - from Arkansas to Ohio, from Maryland to Mississippi. The visual stories she's captured are as varied as they are inspiring

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The voter stories is vey powerful

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Voter ID laws silence millions of Americans

VoteRiders is here to help
We provide voter ID assistance so that every American can cast a ballot that counts.

Every state has different voter ID rules
Select your state for a voter ID guide with the latest information
about what's required for voting in person or by mail.

Make your voice heard

Don't wait to get ready to vote! VoteRiders can help you figure out what ID and documents you need to vote. We're here to provide you with the practical, legal, and financial support to secure it. Get Help Now

Take action

Confusion about voter ID easily turns into disenfranchisement. Join us as a volunteer or partner to make sure eligible voters have the ID and information they need to cast a ballot that counts. Let's Go

Your support is critical

Your tax-deductible donation makes a significant and direct impact for voters and our democracy. GIVE NOW

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Voter ID laws silence millions of Americans We provide voter ID assistance so that every American can cast a ballot that counts. Select your state for a voter ID guide with the latest information about what's required for voting in person or by mail. Don't wait to get ready to vote!

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NEW PADLET: Media, News, and Info Literacy Resources for Adult Education

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NEW PADLET: Media, News, and Info Literacy Resources for Adult Education

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I have off-loaded all non-election media, news, and information literacy resources at bit.ly/ae-mediali t

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Media Literacy Resources for Adult Education

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The latest breaking news and analysis about United States politics, elections and government

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Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that has the potential to both help and hurt our democracy.

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This resource toolkit is designed for programming at American Spaces to define the values of democracy and explain the function, principles, and significance of America’s democratic system of government.

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RESOURCE TOOLKIT FOR AMERICAN SPACES
This resource toolkit is designed for programming at American Spaces to define the values of democracy and explain the function, principles, and significance of America's democratic system of government.

DEFINITIONS

Popular Sovereignty: the authority and legitimacy of a government come from the consent and will of the people it governs.

Natural/Individual Rights: fundamental freedoms and protections that every person inherently possesses, including freedom of speech and the right to life, liberty, and property.

Checks and Balances: a system in government where different branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) have distinct powers and roles to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful or abusing its authority.

Political Pluralism: the presence of multiple political parties, ideologies, and perspectives in a society, allowing for diverse viewpoints and choices in the political process.

Transfer of Power: the peaceful and orderly shift of authority from one government or leader to another, often occurring through elections or established constitutional processes.

Self-governance: the ability of a group or community to independently make decisions, establish rules, and manage its own affairs without external control.

Representative Democracy: a system of government in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions and create policies on their behalf, ensuring broader participation in governance.

Public Participation: the involvement and engagement of the general public in decision-making and civic activities.

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

Democracy ideology, at its core, is a set of principles and beliefs that form the basis of democracy as a system of governance. It supports the idea that political authority and decision-making power should reside with the people, emphasizing the values of individual rights, equality, and the rule of law.

AMERICA'S DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

America's democratic system is characterized by a representative democracy where citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf. At its core is the belief in popular sovereignty, individual rights, and the rule of law. The United States operates with a federal system of government, dividing powers between a national government and individual states, which allows for both centralized and decentralized decision-making.

Free and fair elections, including presidential, congressional, and state-level elections, are central to the democratic process, ensuring the peaceful transfer of power. The system is underpinned by a strong commitment to civil liberties, political pluralism, and a system of checks and balances among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This complex interplay of democratic principles has been a defining feature of U.S. governance for centuries, shaping the nation's political landscape and commitment to democratic values.

BIRTH OF U.S. DEMOCRACY

The Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776, was a revolutionary assertion of the right to self-governance, asserting that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. It not only declared independence from British rule but also laid the philosophical groundwork for democracy by affirming the fundamental principles of equality and individual rights.

The United States Constitution, ratified in 1788, was a blueprint for democratic governance. It established the framework for a federal democratic republic, with checks and balances among the three branches of government, a Bill of Rights to safeguard individual liberties, and a system of representation that allowed for citizen participation in decision-making.

MORE RESOURCES

Videos and Digital Media

Articles

Public Websites about 2024 Elections

The Inter-American Democratic Charter, adopted in 2001, is designed to promote and protect democracy in the Western Hemisphere. The Charter emphasizes respecting human rights, the rule of law, political pluralism, and other key democratic principles. It also advocates for public participation and fair elections, which include secret balloting and universal suffrage.

Together, these foundational documents shaped the course of U.S. history and provided the essential framework upon which the United States built its enduring democratic system.

LESSON PLANS

History of America's Government Institutions and Democratic Norms - This lesson plan includes videos and review questions that explain the fundamental democratic principles within America's governmental institutions.

America's Founding Documents - Transcripts of America's founding documents and articles that discuss their histories and their relation to democracy.

Defining Democracy Lesson Plan - This lesson plan includes activities, readings, and questions that aid learners in defining democracy and comprehending the interconnectedness of democracy and community.

Democracy and the United Nations - This article characterizes democracy as a fundamental value of the United Nations.

Strengthening Democracy in America Series - This resource offers ten free courses for a comprehensive study of the U.S. political system.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How would you describe democracy in your own words?

What are the key principles and values that underlie a democratic system?

How do citizens participate in a democracy, and why is their participation important?

Can you name a few countries, apart from the United States, that are recognized as democracies?

What are some rights and freedoms protected in a democratic system, and why are these rights important?

The views expressed in these links and resources do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. government.
Updated November 2023

Suggested for You

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DEMOCRACY RESOURCE TOOLKIT FOR AMERICAN SPACES This resource toolkit is designed for programming at American Spaces to define the values of democracy and explain the function, principles, and significance of America's democratic system of government. DEFINITIONS Popular Sovereignty: the authority and legitimacy of a government come from the consent and will of the people it ...

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Track major news, updates, poll data, and examples of media bias with this daily blog.

Balanced News about 2024 Presidential Election on AllSides from the Left, Center and Right

From the Left

From the Center

From the Right

Balanced News about 2024 Presidential Election from Across the Web Powered by Google. Enhanced by AllSides.

AllSides Balanced Search™ gives you recent news from outlets on all sides of the political spectrum so you can get the full picture.

Looking for results from think tanks and policy groups? Try the Balanced Think Tank Search.

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Find balanced information and learn how the Left, Right and Center think differently about 2024 Presidential Election.

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Our resource library reflects the knowledge of our team and our 15 years of experience in this sector. They are aimed at staff and volunteers at nonprofits interested in engaging the people they serve and their broader community.

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Share America: How U.S. presidential elections work

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Share America: How U.S. presidential elections work

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Videos available in multiple languages on the Share America YouTube channel. Articles available at ShareAmerica.gov Elections section.

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Share America: The U.S. Presidential Voting Process (2024)

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The U.S. Presidential Voting Process (2024)

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Welcoming America: Welcoming at the Polls: How Poll Workers Ensure Accessible Elections for All

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Welcoming America: Welcoming at the Polls: How Poll Workers Ensure Accessible Elections for All

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Check back for 5/29/2024 Get Out the Vote! Strategies for Effective Voter Engagement and Mobilization webinar at the Welcoming America You Tube channel https://www.youtube.com/@WelcomingAmerica

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Presented in partnership with Power the Polls, this webinar explored the critical role of poll workers in ensuring fair and safe access to the ballot box for all voters. Watch the webinar, recorded on April 24, 2024, to gain insights into:

civic participation opportunities available to immigrant communities;

the importance and impact of immigrant participation as poll workers; and

practical tips and resources for immigrants interested in becoming poll workers, including support networks.

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Welcoming at the Polls: How Poll Workers Ensure Accessible Elections for All

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Presented in partnership with Power the Polls, this webinar explored the critical role of poll workers in ensuring fair and safe access to the ballot box for all voters.

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Civics Renewal Network: Voting, Elections, Politics 

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Civics Renewal Network: Voting, Elections, Politics 

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Resources Archive - CIVICS RENEWAL NETWORK

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uscitizenpod: 10 USCIS civics questions that celebrate Adult Education Week and the CA State Govt

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uscitizenpod: 10 USCIS civics questions that celebrate Adult Education Week and the CA State Govt

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uscitizenpod: National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week Civics Quiz

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uscitizenpod: National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week Civics Quiz

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WaPo: In Arizona, election workers trained with deepfakes to prepare for 2024

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WaPo: In Arizona, election workers trained with deepfakes to prepare for 2024

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Voters at a polling station in Guadalupe, Ariz., in 2022. (Joshua Lott/The Washington Post)
Share Comment Save
The video message from Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes warmly greeted the scores of election workers who had gathered at a Phoenix-area hotel in December for a first-of-its-kind drill: "We are very excited that all of you are here," Fontes, a Democrat, began. "You are on the front lines, and this exercise is a prime opportunity for you to hone your skills by experiencing new challenges as a team." He wished them luck.

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In Arizona, election workers trained with deepfakes to prepare for 2024

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'By the end of the second day, you're like: Trust no one,' said one Arizona county recorder who completed a first-of-its-kind exercise on the threat of AI in the coming election.

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Misinfo 101: Help students steer clear of misinformation

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Educators: Join our free webinars, assign a Checkology® course and draw on a wealth of classroom resources, all designed to help you teach about misinformation in an election year.

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Pro Literacy: Interactive Voting Guide Online Course

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Pro Literacy: Interactive Voting Guide Online Course

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Voting rights have changed a lot over the years. Whether you are a first-time voter or want to learn more about the election process, we can help.

Voting is a personal choice and it's important to make decisions based on the issues that matter most to you. This free, interactive voting guide comes to you from our easy-to-read weekly newspaper and website News for You. The guide explains:

Who can vote. You can vote in the U.S. if you meet a few basic requirements. Ensure you are registered to vote and familiarize yourself with the rules in your area. This includes knowing the location of your polling place and understanding the voting process.

Why does every vote count? When you vote, you make the government work for you. It is your chance to make your voice heard and to protect your interests. You can hold politicians accountable.

How people in the US choose their leaders. Presidential elections get a lot of attention. But did you know elections happen every year? Learn about presidential elections, congressional elections, state and local elections, and ballot measures and propositions. Follow the presidential process from primaries and caucuses through the general election.

How to register to vote and cast your ballot. Most states require you to register before voting in an election. Depending on where you live, you may be able to vote online, in person, and by mail. States decide where and when you will vote, what the ballot looks like, and how you will vote.
By the end of this course, you'll be equipped to:

Identify what is "fake news" and what is truthful, accurate information.

Explain how local elections allow you to influence changes that directly affect you, your family, and your community.

Get help if you or someone you know has questions about voting rights, is facing discrimination, or is experiencing voter intimidation.

This course is ideal for:

Adult learners

Teachers and tutors

Anyone interested in participating in the democratic process

"The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy."

-Former Representative John Lewis, June 2019
Download and print a copy of the complete Election 2024 Voting Guide. Download

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Election 2024 Interactive Voting Guide - ProLiteracy

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Voting rights have changed a lot over the years. Whether you are a first-time voter, or want to learn more about the election process, we...

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VOA News: Generative AI threatens voter confidence in what's real (4/24/2024)

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VOA News: Generative AI threatens voter confidence in what's real (4/24/2024)

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Generative AI threatens voter confidence in what's real

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Generative AI threatens voter confidence in what's real | VOANews

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NY Historical Society: The Citizenship Project: Voting Rights

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NY Historical Society: The Citizenship Project: Voting Rights

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Voting Rights // The Citizenship Project [E10]

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NPNA: Dear 6-Year-Old Me…We’re Not Undocumented Anymore, We’re A Voter Now

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NPNA: Dear 6-Year-Old Me…We’re Not Undocumented Anymore, We’re A Voter Now

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Requires login--can read with free account

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Testimonial By Angelica Cruz-Sierra, Deputy Director of Operations at NPNA

September of 1994 marked my arrival in the United States, a pivotal moment that saw a wide-eyed 6-year-old me stepping into the vibrant neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago. It was here, amidst the colorful murals and lively streets, that I arrived at Peter Cooper Dual Language Academy, my new first-grade home. While my peers were learning numbers and letters, my recent memories were painted with the blunt and vivid brushstrokes of desert landscapes, the relentless sun casting long shadows on our journey, and punctuated by the physical exhaustion of days long travel on-foot. My family and I navigated a different kind of journey, leaving behind the quaint charm of Guanajuato, Mexico to embark on a challenging trek that culminated in our crossing the Mexico-U.S. border through Nogales, Arizona. In so many ways, throughout my life, almost like a recurring dream, I felt that I kept crossing metaphorical borders- and that arriving on US soil was not the end, but actually just the beginning.

This year, as I mark the 30th anniversary of my arrival in the United States, I reflect on my immigrant experience and what it means to finally become a U.S citizen.

For the first two decades of my life in the U.S., I navigated the uncertainties that come with being an undocumented immigrant. Perhaps it was the sanctuary I found in the classroom that first day that ignited my passion for learning, but I devoted myself to my studies with fervor. Despite understanding that my path as an undocumented student was fraught with limited opportunities, I clung to hope, believing that through relentless effort and resilience, I could carve out a future where I could be happy and thrive. And indeed, I did. I not only graduated from high school but also completed college four years later. This tenacity wasn't just confined to my educational journey, it permeated well into my adult and professional life where I continued to face and overcome challenges.

In 2012 a significant shift occurred. With the arrival of June came the introduction of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), bringing hope for hundreds of thousands of immigrants like me. It was a testament to our collective resilience and determination, demonstrating that we, too, could make substantial strides in our lives. With the roll-out of DACA, an unexpected opportunity emerged for me; while reviewing my DACA application, an attorney uncovered a potential path to citizenship via a U Visa. This revelation set me on a decade-long journey toward becoming a U.S. citizen, culminating in October of 2023 when I took the oath of allegiance before a judge.

This personal journey mirrors the broader narrative of New American Voters, a rapidly growing and emerging, multiracial, multiethnic voting bloc. Recent USCIS data reveals that close to 3 million of us have become U.S. citizens since the last presidential election. Notably, fiscal year 2023 saw nearly 884,000 individuals naturalizing, following a historic 15-year high in fiscal year 2022 when over a million became citizens. Each of these New Americans also experienced that pivotal moment in their lives when they took the oath and reminisced on the trials, sacrifices, and aspirations that brought them there, the air palpable with emotion as hands rest on hearts and mini-American flags wave throughout. Although each New American story is unique, our narratives merge as we embrace the responsibilities, rights, and values that come with being U.S. citizens. Among these rights is the empowering act of voting - a duty I eagerly anticipated as I filled out the voter registration card included in my oath ceremony packet.

Angelica proudly shows her "I voted" sticker after voting for the first time during the Illinois primaries at Peter Cooper Elementary Dual Language Academy, the first school she attended upon arriving in the United States.

On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, I found myself once more at the doorstep of Peter Cooper Elementary Dual Language Academy, ready to exercise my newly acquired right to vote in the Illinois primaries. Before I entered the building, I took a moment to appreciate this poignant full-circle moment: the school that had once been my first welcoming haven in the U.S. was now set to welcome me as my polling place and as a first-time voter. In the weeks leading up to this day, I had thoroughly prepared, researching candidates and familiarizing myself with the ballot. Maybe it was the diligent student in me, or the years of being sidelined from such civic duties, but the act of voting resonated deeply, once more feeling like a culmination of persistence and resilience. It seemed as though every decision fueled by that "just keep going" mantra had led me to this moment, affirming my place and voice in my community. Casting my vote, I felt a profound sense of belonging and empowerment, in a way it feels like I've finally finished crossing the border.

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Dear 6-Year-Old Me...We're Not Undocumented Anymore, We're A Voter Now

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September of 1994 marked my arrival in the United States, a pivotal moment that saw a wide-eyed 6-year-old me stepping into the vibrant neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago. It was here, amidst the...

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Teaching for Democracy: Voting and Elections

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Teaching for Democracy: Voting and Elections

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However, young people, and youth of color especially, are perennially underrepresented in civic life.

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Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

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Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

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Survey of Civic Learning Opportunities for Out-of-School Youth in the Adult Education and Literacy System (2005) https://circle.tufts.edu/sites/default/files/2019-12/WP34_CivicLearningOpportunitiesforOutofSchoolYouth_2005.pdf

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Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout.

Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

The full report of our study of civic education in the Commonwealth highlights challenges and recommendations for more inclusive and equitable K-12 civics.

The data suggests outreach to young Black voters worked, and their overwhelming preference for the Democratic candidates may have been decisive.

The runoff elections for both Georgia seats will determine control of the Senate, and mobilizing Black youth in the state may be a decisive factor.

Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout.

Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

The full report of our study of civic education in the Commonwealth highlights challenges and recommendations for more inclusive and equitable K-12 civics.

The data suggests outreach to young Black voters worked, and their overwhelming preference for the Democratic candidates may have been decisive.

The runoff elections for both Georgia seats will determine control of the Senate, and mobilizing Black youth in the state may be a decisive factor.

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Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout. Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

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US Dept. of Education: Promotion of Voter Participation for Students toolkit

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US Dept. of Education: Promotion of Voter Participation for Students toolkit

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Radical Registrars - Building Informed Voices for Every Election

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Elevate Your Voice and Empower Your Vote with Radical Registrars! We're a passionate grassroots nonprofit driving change through youth-led voter registration, education, and civic empowerment.

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It's Primary Season

This year's elections set the precedent for what democracy will look like in 2024 and beyond. The work to elect people with our communty's best interest starts now with the Presidential primaries.

In times like these, our vote is not just a fundamental right but also our tool for generating positive change and ensuring our voices are heard.

If you encounter any issues while voting, use the NAACP Voter Incident Report Form or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866.687.8683).

Your State's Information

Find your state's specific voting information to create your voting plan. Don't see your state listed? Visit vote.org and select your state for details.

Arizona

Registration: Check your registration here.

Vote By Mail: The last day to apply to vote by mail is March 8. Request and track your ballot here.

Early Voting: Early voting ends March 15. Check or call your county Elections Office to confirm hours and locations here. Bring your photo ID.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6 am to 7 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Locations: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website.

Florida

Registration: Check your registration here.

Vote By Mail: The last day to apply to vote by mail is Friday, March 8. Request a ballot here.

Early Voting: Early and in-person absentee voting runs from March 9 to March 16. Confirm hours and locations here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 from 7 am to 7 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website.

Illinois

Registration: Check your registration here. Illinois allows a grace period registration through March 19. Check your county elections for more information.

Vote By Mail: The last day to vote to vote by mail is March 14. Request a ballot at vote.org.
Apply and find ballot drop box locations here.

Early Voting: Early voting runs until March 18. Find your early voting site here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website or call 312.814.6440.

Ohio

Registration: Check your registration and track your ballot at voteohio.gov

Vote By Mail: Apply for a ballot by March 12 here.
Return your ballot on or before March 19. Learn more here.

Early Voting: Early voting ends March 17. Check your county Election Office to confirm hours and locations here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website or call 877.767.6446 x1.

Ready for 2024

Step up your civic engagement in 2024 by volunteering to increase Black voter turnout. Whether it's to rally your fellow voters or help protect the polls, we need you.

Your Voting Options

Registering to vote can take less than 10 minutes to complete. Exercise your right to defend democracy by registering to participate in upcoming elections.

Being away from home is no excuse for not voting! If you are unable to vote at your designated polling place, request your absentee ballot.

Confirm your voter registration status to ensure you are ready to go once the polls open!

Putting Black America First

This year's elections set the precedent for what democracy will look like in 2024 and beyond. The work to elect people with our communty's best interest starts now with the Presidential primaries.

In times like these, our vote is not just a fundamental right but also our tool for generating positive change and ensuring our voices are heard.

If you encounter any issues while voting, use the NAACP Voter Incident Report Form or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866.687.8683).

Your State's Information

Find your state's specific voting information to create your voting plan. Don't see your state listed? Visit vote.org and select your state for details.

Registration: Check your registration here.

Vote By Mail: The last day to apply to vote by mail is March 8. Request and track your ballot here.

Early Voting: Early voting ends March 15. Check or call your county Elections Office to confirm hours and locations here. Bring your photo ID.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6 am to 7 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Locations: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website.

Registration: Check your registration here.

Vote By Mail: The last day to apply to vote by mail is Friday, March 8. Request a ballot here.

Early Voting: Early and in-person absentee voting runs from March 9 to March 16. Confirm hours and locations here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 from 7 am to 7 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website.

Registration: Check your registration here. Illinois allows a grace period registration through March 19. Check your county elections for more information.

Vote By Mail: The last day to vote to vote by mail is March 14. Request a ballot at vote.org.
Apply and find ballot drop box locations here.

Early Voting: Early voting runs until March 18. Find your early voting site here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website or call 312.814.6440.

Registration: Check your registration and track your ballot at voteohio.gov

Vote By Mail: Apply for a ballot by March 12 here.
Return your ballot on or before March 19. Learn more here.

Early Voting: Early voting ends March 17. Check your county Election Office to confirm hours and locations here.

Election Day: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. Bring your photo ID.

Polling Location: Find your polling location here.

For any additional questions, visit your state elections website or call 877.767.6446 x1.

Step up your civic engagement in 2024 by volunteering to increase Black voter turnout. Whether it's to rally your fellow voters or help protect the polls, we need you.

Your Voting Options

Registering to vote can take less than 10 minutes to complete. Exercise your right to defend democracy by registering to participate in upcoming elections.

Being away from home is no excuse for not voting! If you are unable to vote at your designated polling place, request your absentee ballot.

Confirm your voter registration status to ensure you are ready to go once the polls open!

Putting Black America First

All In For Democracy

The NAACP has the largest and most comprehensive civic engagement program for Black voters. We've been organizing and activating thousands of supporters and volunteers. With Super Tuesday behind us, we're all in to protect democracy - but we need your support. Join the fight now - donate today!

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Get ready for the 2024 election season by registering to vote, requesting your absentee ballot, or verifying your registration.

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You will need postcards, stamps, and labels, unless your Regional Organizer can help to provide these. Unless you pick up a packet of postcards and addresses from a local contact, you will receive the data portion by email.

POSTCARDS: RECLAIM OUR VOTE postcards are required. Important note: Reclaim Our Vote cards should not be used for any other organization's campaign.

Ordering 100 postcards or fewer? One of our own board members, Kati Hornung, has a print shop where you can order postcards from HERE

If your order is very high volume, we recommend you Order ROV postcards from VistaPrint.

These racially inclusive, uplifting, colorful and eye-catching postcards with voting rights themes,.designed by young immigrant artists of color, are part of our strategy, and provided at a discount through our online postcard store. Learn more about our postcard artist.

STAMPS: Click here to order "Forever" postcard stamps. Please buy coral reefs, barn, or other neutral designs. Flags are unfortunately associated with voter suppression and intimidation for many.

LABELS: Order Avery (type) labels - either the most economical 30 per page (label size 1" x 2.65" - Avery #5160 for Laserjet or Avery #8160 for Inkjet) or else 20 per page (size 1" x 4" - Avery #5161 or #8161)

Crowd-sourced suggestions for ordering 30 per page labels:

ADDRESSES: We use an automated system for distributing voter addresses which enables postcard writers to request addresses any time during a campaign. Every set of addresses has a specific script, tailored to the city or county where the voter lives. When a writer receives addresses, they also receive the script, instructions, templates for labels, and a sample postcard document. ( This sample postcard shows how we use labels for information such as the Elections Office phone number and url.)

Contact your regional organizer for more information. ‍

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You will need postcards, stamps, and labels, unless your Regional Organizer can help to provide these. Unless you pick up a packet of postcards and addresses from a local contact, you will receive the data portion by email. POSTCARDS: RECLAIM OUR VOTE postcards are required.

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Arab American Institute (and Yalla Vote): Voting Rights

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Arab American Institute (and Yalla Vote): Voting Rights

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AAI Opposes Restrictive American Confidence in Elections Act (“ACE Act”)

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American Association of People with Disabilities: REVving UP for 2024

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American Association of People with Disabilities: REVving UP for 2024

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We work every year to register new disabled voters. Have you done voter registration for REV UP? Make sure to report your voter outreach so that we can keep track of progress towards these goals:

Goal: Register 1,000 disabled voters by August 2024.

Goal: Register 200 voters residing in congregate settings.

We also work to educate all disabled voters on their rights and how to vote in their state. Here's what we're looking at for 2024:

Goal: Support REV UP Coalitions and partners in conducting 50 voter training and outreach events in the community, both virtual and in-person. Keep an eye on our events page!

Goal: Update our state voting guides for disabled voters for all 50 states and D.C. in Spanish and English for 2024.

Goal: Develop and execute a strategy to increase usage of state voting guides.

Goal: Meet with the state-level Election Protection groups in every REV UP coalition state to ensure they have information around disability voting rights.

Goal: Prioritize reaching historically excluded communities by conducting voter education, registration, and outreach at 30 congregate settings across 3 states.

In addition to educating the disability community about voting rights, we also want disabled voters to know about the specific elections happening in their state and know how to actually participate in each election, including via remote and absentee voting options.

Goal: Support REV UP Coalitions and partners in hosting 10 nonpartisan disability issue candidate forums across 10 different states, focused at state and local level races.

Goal: Support efforts in 5 states to provide accessible rides to the polls or provide absentee ballots to voters (in states where this is allowed).

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We have five main focus areas and many goals within those areas. We work closely with state and community leaders and we provide small grants to fund our work. Keep reading to hear more about our work to reach out to disabled voters, increase accessibility at the polls, and fight voter suppression.

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About Us

StudentVote.org was launched by the Student PIRGs in partnership with Rock the Vote. Since 2008, we've worked with more than one hundred campus and group partners. Below are our premier partners.

The Student PIRGs' New Voters Project is a nonpartisan effort to help register young people and get them to the polls on Election Day. We believe the best way to raise the voices of young people and our issues is to register and vote. Together we can make change happen.

We do not endorse any candidate or party and we do not take a stand on any legislation. Our job is to get young people to the polls. It is up to candidates to convince them who to vote for.

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It's our future, our voice, and our vote!

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We are America's largest generation - and we vote! Register to vote today!

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Advocacy | TESOL | International Association

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This website uses cookies. A cookie is a small piece of code that gives your computer a unique identity, but it does not contain any information that allows us to identify you personally. For more information on how TESOL International Association uses cookies, please read our privacy policy.

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Florida Literacy Coalition: Encouraging Adult Learners to Vote

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Florida Literacy Coalition: Encouraging Adult Learners to Vote

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MN Literacy: Remember This?! Series: Voter Education Resources

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MN Literacy: Remember This?! Series: Voter Education Resources

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2022 Update of the MN Literacy Voter Education Curriculum as learners may want to vote in an upcoming election.

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Remember This?! Series: Voter Education Resources

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There are five lessons in the curriculum that include a text with audio recording, questions for discussion or writing and some added activities and ideas for extension. The texts follow characters who register to vote, learn about the government, issues and candidates, make their choice and cast a vote.

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Old but these videos may inspire your students to create their own voting and election videos.

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20 Films for the People Get a fresh perspective on democracy and government to help guide you through the next four years under a Trump Administration. Are regulations good? Does protest work? Are lobbyists evil? Is voting necessary? How can we find reliable sources of political news?

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This free ESL lesson plan on elections and voting has been designed for adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student.

In the modern world, in countries with populations of millions, voting has become synonymous with the most efficient way to implement democracy to ensure that every person has their voice heard. But in many places, people choose not to vote believing that their vote doesn't really count. And increasingly, even when people do vote, they don't accept the results of the vote when it goes against them. In the United States, when the Democrats lose an election, they claim fraud. When the Republicans lose an election, they too claim fraud. Are we know living in an era when democratic elections no longer have any legitimacy? In this ESL lesson plan on elections and voting, students will have the opportunity to discuss and express their opinions on issues such as their experience of voting, the importance of voting, and problems that can happen during elections.

This lesson plan could also be used with your students to debate these issues for Global Elections Day, which takes place in February, or the International Day of Democracy, which takes place in September. For more lesson plans on international days and important holidays, see the calendar of world days to plan your classes for these special occasions.

For advice on how to use this English lesson plan and other lesson plans on this site, see the guide for ESL teachers.

PRE-CLASS ACTIVITIES

Reading activity
Before the English class, send the following article to the students and ask them to read it while making a list of any new vocabulary or phrases they find (explain any the students don't understand in the class):
National Geographic | Why Voting Is Important
The article gives a brief history of voting rights in the United States, how certain groups are subjected to voter suppression, and how just a small number of voters can affect the outcome of an election. At the start of the class, hold a brief discussion about what the students thought about the article. What do they think about the issues raised in the article? Do they agree with what was said? Does this relate to their own countries in any way?

Video activity
To save time in class for the conversation activities, the English teacher can ask the students to watch the video below and answer the listening questions in Section 3 of the lesson plan at home. There are intermediate listening questions and advanced listening questions so teachers can decide which would be more appropriate for their students. Check the answers in the class.

The video for this class is called "The Electoral College, explained" by Vox which explains how presidential elections in the United States work.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

The focus in the class is on conversation in order to help improve students' fluency and confidence when speaking in English as well as boosting their vocabulary.

This lesson opens with a short discussion about the article the students read before the class. Next, the students can give their opinion on the quote at the beginning of the lesson plan - what they think the quote means and if they agree with it. This is followed by an initial discussion on the topic including what the voting age should be, whether voting is a civic duty, and how the students decide who to vote for.

After this, students will learn some vocabulary connected with elections and voting such as first-past-the-post, apathy and turnout. This vocabulary has been chosen to boost the students' knowledge of less common vocabulary that could be useful for preparing for English exams like IELTS or TOEFL. The vocabulary is accompanied by a cloze activity and a speaking activity to test the students' comprehension of these words.

If the students didn't watch the video before the class, they can watch it after the vocabulary section and answer the listening questions. Before checking the answers, ask the students to give a brief summary of the video and what they thought about the content.

Finally, there is a more in-depth conversation about elections and voting. In this speaking activity, students will talk about issues such as the connection between voting and democracy, corruption and security concerns around election time, and why some people refuse to accept the results of elections.

HOMEWORK

After the class, students will write about their opinion of elections and voting. This could be a short paragraph or a longer piece of writing depending on what level the student is at. The writing activity is designed to allow students to practise and improve their grammar with the feedback from their teacher. For students who intend to take an international English exam such as IELTS or TOEFL, there is an alternative essay question to practise their essay-writing skills.

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Elections & Voting | ESL Lesson Plan | Your English Pal

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This free ESL lesson plan on elections and voting has been designed for adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student.

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Google Arts and Culture: ¡Sí se puede! A Latino History of Voting Rights in the United States

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Google Arts and Culture: ¡Sí se puede! A Latino History of Voting Rights in the United States

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¡Sí se puede! A Latino History of Voting Rights in the United States​ - Google Arts & Culture

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Explore how the Molina Family Latino Gallery tells the story of Latino voters' role in shaping U.S. democracy.

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Google Arts and Culture: 21 Stories about Voting

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Google Arts and Culture: 21 Stories about Voting

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Google Arts & Culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring the world’s treasures online.

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The latest reports and analysis from BBC News on the 2024 US presidential election.

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Also see:

Election and Civic Participation Resources for ESOL Teachers (.doc)
Elections and Civic Participation Community Engagement Lesson Plan (.pdf)
Change Agent Publication Voting Issue (.pdf)
Elections and Civic Participation Know The Candidates Worksheet (.pdf)
Know Your Community Needs Change Agent Publication (.pdf)
Simplified Republican Or Democrat Quiz (.pdf)
How Do We Elect The President- Understanding The Electoral College (.pdf)

Understanding the Voting Process – How a Bill Becomes a Law Handout (pdf)
Understanding the Voting Process – The Electoral College Handout (.pdf)