Every Vote Matters

Although about 73 percent of the Indiana voting eligible Indiana residents are registered to vote, only about 39 percent of them turn out to vote at the general election. Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place—and wherever they dream of making great discoveries, provoking thought, creating innovative tech, or changing the world – we must use our votes to promote what we believe is important. Girls and women have been underrepresented for far too long. Are you registered to vote?

Elections offer a unique opportunity to help build a foundation for active citizenship and leadership – two key journeys for Girl Scouts. You have a voice—it’s important that you use it! Promise a Girl Scout you will vote!

No matter which political party is in power, the basic mechanisms of U.S. government are consistent. However, many American adults can’t correctly identify foundational aspects of our system of government, and when it comes to civics education for kids, parents may be surprised to learn that the classroom alone is unlikely to close the gap in understanding.

The numbers confirm it.

Only half of U.S. adults could name all three branches of government—and nearly one in four couldn’t name any of the three—in a 2020 annual survey of civics knowledge by the Annenberg Center for Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

While all 50 states require some civics course work in schools, what's on offer in most states is widely seen as inadequate. Less than a dozen states require a full year of civics education or U.S. government classes before high school graduation.

Only 25 percent of students reach the “proficient” standard of civics knowledge by the time of high school graduation, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Everyone deserves an equal chance to participate in the democratic process and create the country they want to see—and in order to get there, all people need to understand their rights and responsibilities and how our system of government works.

Although too many of today’s young people lack a comprehensive civics education, youth care deeply about fixing the problems they see. A recent Girl Scout Research Institute study tells us that girls especially care about creating a society that truly offers equal opportunity for all.

Nearly 6 in 10 girls say they’re interested in being a future leader through advocacy, public service, or a career as an elected official.

82 percent want to make a positive impact on society through their future work.

Girls who want to lead in advocacy say they care most about the environment and human rights issues/causes (e.g., girl’s and women’s issues, LGBTQ+ and racial equity, disability rights, poverty).

According to a survey conducted after the 2020 election by the nonpartisan Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement:

84 percent of people ages 18–29 believe in their power to change the country.

75 percent believe they should participate in the political decisions that shape the country.

80 percent say they have a responsibility to make things better for society

Key dates to remember:

Oct. 7, 2024 – Voter Registration Ends
Nov. 5, 2024 – United States Presidential Election

Girl Scouts:

Work toward your I Promised a Girl Scout I’d Vote program patch
Host a voter registration event. Download these documents: How to host a voter registration event, Why You Should Promise a Girl Scout You’ll Vote hand out, Indiana voter registration form in English and Spanish, and Indiana voter registration link takeaway card.

So what can you do to make sure your girl is prepared to help make her community, her country, and her world a better place?

Write thank you cards to poll workers and deliver them on election day to different poll locations
Encourage the parents in your troop to take their Girl Scout to the polls with them to see the election process in action
Have your Girl Scouts write letters to their elected officials asking them to make a change about something they are passionate about.
Have your Girl Scouts write cards to adults in their lives encouraging them to visit the polls on election day to have their voice be heard.
Reach out to your local courthouse to see about setting up a tour to see where offices are located and to learn about the different elected officials that serve their community.
Earn a civics or democracy badge for your age level.
Have your Girl Scouts attend a local school board meeting, community meeting, or other gathering to hear about changes being made/discussed on the local level in their community.

For more:

Get inspired by Gold Award Girl Scouts who are changing the world by taking action on issues they care about.

Explore our I Promised a Girl Scout I Would Vote patch curriculum to earn a patch!

Check out the National Constitution Center’s We the Civics Kids.

Check back for more information and resources!