Promote the Vote
Ways to get your Girl Scouts involved.
Questions? Email us at customercare@gsema.org.
The United States presidential election will take place on November 5, 2024. Girl Scouts always step up to do what they can to improve their communities and the world. While most Girl Scouts are not old enough to vote, it is still important to engage them during this critical moment in our nation’s history. We encourage you to consider the ways in which you and your Girl Scouts can promote the power of democracy using the activities below.
Why do people vote?
Voting is the process by which people cast ballots to choose leaders or decide on important issues. It’s a way to show what you believe in and make sure your voice is included in decision-making.
Why is voting important?
We’re lucky to be living in a time where this type of civic engagement is possible. For a long time, women and people of color in the U.S. weren’t allowed to vote. It has taken hundreds of years of advocacy to change that. The 19th Amendment of 1920 allowed women the right to vote, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 guaranteed voting access to people of color. However, barriers to voting still exist. There’s work to be done—and Girl Scouts can play a part!
Brush up on your voting history!
- Every month, GSEMA posts a social media story series and an accompanying blog to demonstrate our council’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice (DEIRJ).
- Revisit our August DEIRJ highlight, which talks about Women’s Equality Day, the 19th Amendment, and women's suffrage.
How can Girl Scouts promote the vote?
There are so many ways to get involved! We’ve complied a short list of activities and resources for you to get started. More information can be found on the Girl Scouts website.
- Browse VOTE411 to see and understand the many voting support tools available to the public.
- Reach out to people in your community to provide information about state-specific elections, deadlines, and rules; how to register to vote or check your registration; how to request an absentee ballot; what’s on the ballot in an upcoming election; how to look up and/or contact your election officials about issues you care about; and how to make a voting plan.
- Reach out to educate your community around voting. Use these templates to script your outreach efforts.
- Set specific, measurable goals for how you will participate in this election cycle. This can include: writing a letter to an elected official, talking to family members about their voting plan, helping someone register to vote, and more.
- Girl Scouts who are 16 or 17 can preregister to vote.
- Boost your civic engagement by earning your Civics or Citizen badge, or your “I Promised a Girl Scout I’d Vote” patch.
- For more voting information, check out: VOTE411.
Work with the League of Women Voters (LWV) to Promote the Vote
- Girl Scouts and the LWV have long histories of empowering girls, advocating for civil rights, and advancing policies that support girls and women. Our organizations are excited to work together nationally and locally to provide Girl Scouts with more opportunities to learn about and engage with civics, voting, and democracy.
- Please check out our Collaboration Guide for guidance on working with your local League to support your troop’s participation in Promote the Vote and other Girl Scout badges and activities.
Earn a badge or two!
- Daisy: Good Neighbor OR Democracy for Daisies
- Brownie: Celebrating Community OR Democracy for Brownies.
- Junior: Inside Government OR Democracy for Juniors.
- Cadette: Finding Common Ground OR Democracy for Cadettes.
- Senior: Behind the Ballot OR Democracy for Seniors.
- Ambassador: Public Policy OR Democracy for Ambassadors
Check our GSEMA’s council’s own patch!
Available to all Girl Scout levels: I Promised a Girl Scout I’d Vote patch.
