Every election, when I head to the polls, I try to bring my kids with me. They love to get their “future voter” sticker. Well, maybe not my oldest anymore.
My kids are 11 and 9 years old now, which means they’re old enough to understand that something important is happening when we vote, and curious enough to ask plenty of questions. I’ve spent nearly 30 years at the League of Women Voters, helping people understand how they can shape our democracy, participate in elections, connect with elected leaders, and make their voices heard. I care deeply about this work.
Becoming a parent made my work feel even more personal. I want my children to understand they have the power to influence the decisions that shape their lives. My kids can’t vote yet, but the consequences of democratic decisions already affect nearly every part of their lives.
Those decisions shape the funding available for their schools, parks, playgrounds, and pools, as well as the libraries and community resources available to them. They determine the safety of the bike lanes and roads we use daily. The choices our elected leaders make today will shape the opportunities available to all our children tomorrow.
Kids don’t vote for the officials meant to represent them, but that doesn’t mean kids shouldn’t understand how decisions are made—or how, one day, they can have a say in them. That’s why I bring my children with me when I vote—and to rallies and community meetings. In nearly three decades at the League of Women Voters, I have seen how powerful it can be when people understand that democracy belongs to them.
I’ve also seen why we can’t take that understanding for granted. I want my kids to see democracy in action: something people do, not just something they learn about in school. When we walk into a polling place, they see neighbors and community members showing up.
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