As an early childhood educator, YOU are the expert when it comes to all things ECE. Your knowledge, your voice, and especially your VOTE help drive positive change for your field and for the future of children and families. As a trusted community leader, you can also be a model for your students’ families by sharing nonpartisan get-out-the-vote resources. Your encouragement is particularly important given that parents with young children are less likely to vote.  

 

This election cycle, GEEARS is empowering Georgia’s 71,000+ early childhood educators to both vote AND promote participation among their colleagues and the families they serve. There is power in our unified voices. Collectively, we can advocate for public policies and funding that support children and families now and in the future. 

 

Here are some ways you can support your staff and families in their efforts to vote: 

Get the Word Out 

  • Make sure your employees and parents know about the upcoming election and encourage them to register and vote. 
  • Give out nonpartisan voter information (such as My Voter Page to find early voting dates and poll locations) by utilizing your existing communication channels, such as your newsletter, social media accounts, or texting services.  
  • Send home the provided flyer in backpacks or hang up our poster. 
  • Consider reminding parents about upcoming deadlines during drop-off/pick-up or prescheduled parent-teacher conferences. Go to My Voter Page to find details on  registration, requesting an absentee ballot, early voting, and other key deadlines. 

Make it Possible

  • Give staff time to request absentee ballots or register to vote during staff meetings. 
  • Extend your hours so parents can vote before or after work on election day. 
  • Organize transportation to help families and staff get to the polls. 

 

  • Give staff time off to vote by planning ahead for coverage to maintain staff-child ratios. 
  • Encourage families and staff to make a voting plan.   

A voting plan is just what it sounds like: figuring out how and when one will vote ahead of Election Day. Making a plan to vote can reduce anxiety and increase the likelihood that individuals cast their ballots. Consider printing out our voting plan worksheets and encouraging families to make a voting plan, including pointing them to My Voter Page to locate and write down their polling or an early voting location! 

Highlight the Importance of Voting 

  • Read age-appropriate books about voting to children. See a great list from NAEYC here.  
  • Hold a mock election (e.g., cats versus dogs) to introduce the concept of voting to children. 

Printable Resources

Voting Plan Sheet (8.5×11 in)

Poster (8.5×11 in)

Flyer for Families (Two per 8.5×11 in)

SOCIAL MEDIA

Click “Expand” on mobile to see the toolkit.

 

Resources from Our Partners

Black Child Development Institute (BCDI) – Atlanta

 

Caring Across Generations

 

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

 

ZERO TO THREE