For the people raising them
02You already advocate for your kids. This is the same work.
School funding, health coverage, food assistance, safety — caregivers negotiate all of it, usually alone. Voting is how that negotiation scales. Four guides cover the run-up to the election, the day itself, and the conversations that come after.
What you can do
Four things, in order of effort
Make the plan early
Decide now when you'll vote, how you'll get there and who watches the kids. A plan on the fridge beats good intentions in October.
Bring them with you
Children are allowed in the voting booth with you in every state. Walk the Voting Day Adventure map together first so they know what to expect.
Match it to their age
The Voter Action Guide breaks activities into four levels, from the youngest children through grades 9–12, so the conversation fits the kid in front of you.
Talk about it afterward
Results land hard in a household. The post-election guides give you three questions to open the conversation and language for wins and losses alike.
Downloads
Made for parents & caregivers
Voter Action Guide for Parents & Caregivers
The main guide for families: why this election matters for children, how to check your registration and deadlines, how to serve as a poll worker or watcher, and age-banded activities across four levels through grades 9–12.
DownloadOur Voting Day Adventure
A one-page illustrated map to walk through with your child before you vote — from checking in and getting the ballot to dropping it in the box to be counted.
DownloadPost-Election Guide for Parents & Caregivers
How to talk with your children after the midterm election, including three questions that invite conversation and guidance for the moments when the news is frightening.
DownloadAfter the Election Quick Sheet
The post-election conversation on a single page: their feelings are valid, life goes on tomorrow, share the wins, discuss the losses, and let them use their voice.
DownloadAlso useful: the Read Aloud for Democracy guide, which works for any audience, and the full library.
Take action
Register, check and cast your ballot
Every task between deciding to vote and having your ballot counted, in one place. Check your registration in under a minute, fix it if something's wrong, and set a reminder so a deadline never decides this for you.
- Works in every state
- Nonpartisan — no candidates, no parties
- Nothing on this site is required first
Register to vote
Start or update your registration in your state. Most people finish in about two minutes.
Open 02Verify your registration
Confirm you're still on the rolls and that your address is current. Worth doing even if you voted last time — records get purged.
Open 03Request an absentee ballot
Vote from home if getting to a polling place on a workday with children in tow isn't realistic.
Open 04Get election reminders
Deadline and Election Day reminders for your state, so the date arrives with warning instead of as news.
Open 05Check your ballot
See the races and measures you'll actually be voting on, including the school board and local seats that shape children's daily lives.
OpenHosted by Children's Defense Fund Action and powered by Vote.org. Opens in a new tab. Nonpartisan — no candidate or party is endorsed.
Sign up
Get the caregiver toolkit
We'll send the family guides, reminders keyed to your state's deadlines, and nothing else.
02 · Parents & CaregiversWelcome to the campaign
You're in. Watch for an email within a day or two with your materials and the next thing you can do. Start with the resource library while you wait.