ELECTION DAY!

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Date: Tue Nov 05, 12:00 AM EST - Tue Nov 05, 11:59 PM EST

Cadettes,

Seniors,

Ambassadors,

Volunteers,

Daisies,

Brownies,

Juniors

What is Election Day?
The best time of the year for Girl Scout Seniors to earn the “Behind the Ballot” badge! (And for other Girl Scouts to learn about and observe democracy in action.)

An election is when people get to vote on who will be their leader or representative (someone who speaks for them.) In a democracy, voting is the main way most citizens get to influence the decisions that decide how our country is governed. Read more at https://www.dkfindout.com/us/more-find-out/what-does-politician-do/what-is-an-election/

“In the United States, citizens get to elect, or choose, their leaders. After candidates (people who want to become the next president) campaign and travel all over the country trying to get people to vote for them, it all comes down to one big day. This is Election Day.

“It always falls on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November every two years, when we vote for our senators and congresspeople. And every four years, elections get bigger. This is when U.S. voters choose the president for the next four years.
“Selecting this person is no simple task. No matter how young (as long as you're at least 18) or how old, votes are counted equally. Your vote says who you want to represent you to the rest of the country and to other nations around the world. These leaders and the decisions they make will impact your life directly for years. That's why it's incredibly important to take time before Election Day to learn what each candidate believes and what they plan to do if elected.”
• https://study.com/academy/lesson/election-day-lesson-for-kids.html

“To serve…my country” (Current Girl Scout Promise)
From 1920 to 1972, the Girl Scout Promise began, “On my honor, I will try:
To do my duty to God and my country…”

The 1952 Girl Scout Handbook (for girls ages 10 - 13), in explaining the Promise to girls working on their Tenderfoot rank, says this about duty to country: “I will try to make my country a place where everyone can live and work in safety and freedom. I will respect my country’s laws.”

Girl Scouts have traditionally supported the voting process by encouraging people to register to vote and cast their vote on Election Day. In the very early days Girl Scouts held babies or walked dogs while adults voted! In the 1940s and 50s, older Girl Scouts assisted poll workers as Voter Aides. Today, Girl Scouts can still be involved by creating non-partisan “Register to Vote!” and “Vote on Nov. 5!” campaigns using posters, displays and social media like Youtube.

I will do my best to be…honest and fair

For younger Girl Scouts, an election year is a great opportunity to talk about being honest and fair, and making democratic decisions as a group. Try taking a troop vote on an upcoming activity: a game to play, which nature center to visit, or what to have for dessert at your cookout. Explain that everyone in the troop gets one vote. Then, the game, nature center or dessert with the most votes wins.

Depending on the ages of the girls and the resources available to your troop, taking a vote may be as simple as raising hands or as realistic as dropping a ballot in a ballot box (made in advance by the girls!) In a large troop, have a committee count up the votes and announce the winner; in a small troop, the troop’s secretary or treasurer or other troop officer can do it. Get in the habit of helping girls discuss the decisions that need to be made and then vote on them.

Explore elections by watching videos about civic responsibility, and how communities come together to vote. Ask a librarian to recommend books about elections that are appropriate for the grade level you work with, and encourage girls to read one. Online, you’ll find “Twelve Great Videos to Teach Kids About Elections and Voting” for grades K - 12 at https://www.weareteachers.com/election-videos-for-kids/

BADGE CONNECTIONS

The Senior Behind the Ballot badge, of course, but also:

• The Democracy badge series for Girl Scout Daisies through Ambassadors
• Ambassador Public Policy badge: Help girls explore how public policy issues are connected to political campaigns and voting.
• Cadette Find Common Ground badge: election season is the perfect time for Cadetes to learn strategies that can help bring people with different beliefs together to make decisions about our world.
• Junior Inside Government: every adult should earn this badge before they go to the polls!
• The Brownie My Community badge has the least connection to elections, but is still a good introduction to how communities work and a good lead-in to active citizenship and voting.
• The “Gloria” Daisy Petal Respect Myself and Others is a citizenship-themed award.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan nonprofit public policy educational organization, which:
• Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.
• Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

The LWV believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States. Learn more about their principles at https://my.lwv.org/georgia/our-principles
Election Quick Links from the League of Women Voters
• 2024 Georgia Voter Guide - Candidates and Amendments
• Register to Vote
• Find your polling place
• Advance Voting Locations
• Request an absentee ballot
• Contact your county registrar
• View campaign finance disclosures

PLUS: The Citizen's Handbook, https://my.lwv.org/georgia/citizens-handbook,
which covers:
• Voting information
• Statewide and federal elected official listing and contact information
• Listing and contact information for state agencies

The best time of the year for Girl Scout Seniors to earn the “Behind the Ballot” badge! (And for other Girl Scouts to learn about and observe democracy in action.)