American Democracy and the Promise of Justice

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 19.03.02

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. What we are Doing (Action Process)
  3. Rationale
  4. Content Background
  5. Unit Objectives
  6. Topic One
  7. Topic Two
  8. Topic Three
  9. Topic Four
  10. Topic Five
  11. Teaching Strategies
  12. Timeline: Voting Rights and Civil Rights
  13. Classroom Activities
  14. Resources
  15. Student Resources
  16. Teacher Resources
  17. Bibliography
  18. Appendix
  19. Notes

The Right to Vote: Empowerment and Civic Engagement in our Democracy

Cinde H. Berkowitz

Published September 2019

Tools for this Unit:

Topic Five

Call to Action--Civic Duty and Community Participation

The League of Women Voters (LWV), along with four respected U.S. Senate Majority Leaders and other leading Americans, are taking action to establish September as National Democracy Month. This resolution would institute an annual national focus on educating people about the election process. National Voter registration day is on Sept. 25, 2019 to educate and promote awareness of voter registration. LWV supports early voting to make voting easier, more convenient, and to increase voter turnout.

For more than nine years, the LWV Education Fund has invested in the engagement and registration of young voters by offering Youth Voter Registration training and grants to state and local leagues.  League volunteers use these funds to build on their relationships with local schools and universities to reach students and register them to vote. For many first-time voters, volunteers with the LWV will be the first people to start a conversation about voting and how to be involved with the democratic process. With LWV voter’s guides people can see the races on the ballot, compare candidates' positions side-by-side, and print out a "ballot" indicating preferences as a reminder, and take it with you to the polls on Election Day. There are also resources for military and overseas voters.

To begin a Voter Registration project, it would be helpful to contact your local LWV chapter and ask whether they are available to provide help with your registration program.  It is also suggested that you visit www.Vote411.org to find out about voter registration requirements for your state. With the help of the LWV it is imperative to implement a course of action to prepare for achievement with students, their peers and their families.

The LWV will help partner with the schools to develop a community action plan to help register students and families to educate, increase voter participation and help individuals exercise their right to vote. Members of the LWV will come to the high school to help educate and inform the students about the fundamental values of a democracy. Partnering with the League will give you access to dedicated volunteers, speakers and support for your students and the project. 

Comments:

Add a Comment

Characters Left: 500

Unit Survey

Feedback