Understanding voting processes, how to vote, and the importance of voting are all important topics for students—especially in our current election season. At STAR, we’re here to provide resources to teachers, families, and students to help start, and continue, these critical conversations. The following resources are not intended to be a comprehensive list, but rather a starting point for teachers and families to share with students. 

Eligible Voters

Do you have a student in your class or young person in your life who is over the age of 18 and is interested in becoming a voter? Eligibility, processes, and deadlines vary greatly between states, provinces, and territories, so finding out the laws around voting are great first steps. The American Association of People with Disabilities has extensive information for each U.S. state’s voting processes, including whether you can vote by mail or vote if you have a guardian. Access the list here and learn more about their REV UP campaign that is focused on fostering civic engagement for people with disabilities.

The Arc also offers a Voter Disability Guide in both English and Spanish that includes information on how to register to vote, how voting works, and how you can help others vote. They also provide sample questions for candidates, and other resources around voting. Find their resources here.

Voting in Canada? 2019 was an important federal election year. The “I Am Voting” initiative provides support and information regarding the 2019 election and is an invaluable resource for learning more about how to vote as a person with disabilities. Learn more about the “I Am Voting” initiative here.

Need any extra inspiration? The Arkansas Transition Services put together a wonderful video encouraging you to vote! Watch it here.   

Future Voters

While knowing the ins and outs of registering to vote and state voting processes is important for eligible voters, it’s also important for young children or those not yet able to vote to understand how to vote and why voting matters. To help students get familiar with the process of voting, we’ve created a group activity around voting for favorite snacks that can be used in the classroom or at home. We’re also sharing a social script to help students begin to understand the process of voting as well as why voting matters. Access these two free activities by clicking the images below.

Download, share, and refer back to these resources for the upcoming election and others in the future. Voting is an important civic duty that helps shape the course of history and we hope these resources help foster communication with students around voting.