With Midterm Election Day just a week away, there’s a lot of chatter about voting. Sure, we’re all about voting, but what about those who are under 18 or ineligible to vote?

If you aren’t 18 yet or are unable to vote in this upcoming midterm election, there are still so many ways that you can exercise your civic duty. We know that voting in elections is just one slice of the democracy pie, so this week we’re diving into all the ways you can participate.

Sign up to be a poll worker and help election administrators ensure safe in-person voting. There’s a significant shortage of poll workers, and signing up to be one is an awesome way to support fair and free elections, even if you aren’t able to cast your own vote yet.

Help get others registered to vote in your community. Text your friends who are eligible to vote and help them make a voting plan. Regardless of whether you’re able to vote or not, encouraging others is a fruitful act of civic engagement that helps others use their voice!

Share petitions and campaigns with your peers. This action is a way to share a collective voice around a specific issue, calling attention to something that matters to you and your community. Whether you’re passionate about reproductive health, climate justice, education reform, or any other pressing issue, there’s definitely a petition or campaign that can help raise awareness and make a difference.

Pre-register to vote in upcoming elections so you can be election ready ASAP. It’s quick and easy to do and some states allow young people to pre-register as early as 16 years old.

You smell that? It’s the smell of young people changing our democracy for the better! Or maybe we left our democracy pie cooking a little too long in the oven…

If you’re able to vote this midterm election, make sure to get registered to vote if you haven’t already! There’s still time to register in some states, and others even allow same-day registration. In any case, make sure you know what’s up on election day by creating a voting plan!

Let’s Do This!

DoSomething

We asked you to let us know what’s on your mind this election season, and we can’t wait to share the wisdom of our DoSomething members who have participated in The Future Is Now: Your Voice, Your Vote.

Ailsean F., 17: “This election season, I will vote for the first time. Picking a candidate that best represents my beliefs and values is on my mind. I would like to pick someone that doesn't just say they will make changes for the better but actually does it. From the quiz, I got "The Organizer." To make an impact during this election season, I will make sure to contribute to the conversation, such as topics regarding the new candidates and their promises.”

KY., 16: “My plan this election season though I am not 18 years of age. I plan on reviewing a sample ballot from my parents to be civilly engaged in the conversations on the topic on the ballots and candidates. I plan to use my power to impact this election with my voice. I am a cheerleader for my school so my voice and spirit is infectious. Encouraging people of age to remember your voice and your vote matters. If you are not heard no change will occur. Be the change.”

Emma L., 17: “The personality type that I got is the Organizer. This year is my first year to vote and I am very excited for it. I used to go with my parents when they would vote and I thought it was something cool to do then but now that I can do it myself and I actually understand what I am doing, I think it is so important to do. I'm a senior and out of the people in my classes I am one of the few students who can vote and has a plan to do so this year. In the past few months I have gone to protests to fight for women's reproductive rights and I have volunteered at and attended a March For Our Lives rally. This election season, I want to use my power to inform myself on the people and things that I will be voting on and I want to pass that information on to friends, family, and anyone else who is willing to listen.”

Join Ailesan, KY, and Emma and share your Civic Leadership Personality quiz results with our community and let us know what you’ve been thinking about this election season. When you share your results, you will be entered to earn a $1000 scholarship. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Just reminding you… to check out our quarterly report, #WeDidThat. It’s the go-to place to revel in the achievements of DoSomething members like you that are speaking up, taking action, and supporting their communities.

Save these dates… Registration deadlines in these states are coming up this week!

• 11/1: Connecticut
• 11/3: Nevada
• 11/4: Vermont
• 11/7: Montana & New Hampshire
• 11/8: ELECTION DAY!

You can register to vote in only 2 minutes. Not sure if you’re registered? Check your status here! You might also be able to vote early, so check if it’s available in your state here.

Did you hear… that the tally for pre-election ballots is up to 20 million? We celebrated Vote Early Day last week and it looks like it was a success! Collective action really does pay off.

A little dose of happiness this week comes from this story about how one community is combating climate change by ditching buses and opting for adult-led bicycle groups called “bike buses.” We love to see creative solutions like these!

Fastweb

New Scholarships Alert!

National Scholarship Month

National Scholarship Month is a great time to explore scholarships and to apply for each opportunity! Refine your scholarship application standards this November by picking a goal that works for you. Enter in three steps: 1. Be a Fastweb member. 2. Answer a multiple-choice question. There’s no wrong answer. 3. Submit your entry by November 30, 2022. Enter the sweepstakes daily!

CollegeXpress

Scholarship: $1,000 CollegeXpress No-Essay Scholarship

Deadline: November 30

How to enter: Answer one question, In honor of National Scholarship Month, how many scholarships have you applied for this year?

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