National Voter Registration Day 2025: Getting Engaged Now & Beyond

What radicalized you? This year, Girls Write Now is exploring how we can make our dreams for a better world into reality with prompts, resources, and more.

National Voter Registration Day falls on September 16th this year, and even though this is an “off-year” for national elections, there’s plenty of local and state races to participate in! We’ve rounded up resources, writing prompts, trivia questions, and more to make sure you’re ready to make real change in your community. While voting is an important step in advocating for your community, it is not the only one. Running for office, creating local initiatives, volunteering, protesting, and educating yourself are all essential to creating an equitable world.

Resources

• Register to vote or check your voter registration here.
• Find out what’s on your local and state ballot here.
• Not 18 yet? See if you can pre-register to vote in your state here.

TRIVIA QUESTION

In 2023, Jaylen Smith in Earle, Arkansas, became the youngest Black mayor in American history. How old was he?

Answer: 18 years old

If there’s an issue you’re passionate about, there’s a way for you to make a difference. Whether that’s running for office, volunteering, sharing resources with your community, writing an op-ed, or another action, you can find ways to make your voice heard.

What would inspire you to run for office?

In my family, I was the first person to vote in a U.S. election as a first generation immigrant. Now that I have two daughters… I take them with me to the voting booth, so that when their time comes they will participate in every election. It is my goal as a mother that they always hold their heads up high… and speak up for the issues they care about.

– Grace Bastidas, VP and Editor-in-Chief of Parents Magazine

I am not old enough to vote yet, but I still wanted to be a part of this important initiative.

– Amira Elrington-Edwards, Student Ambassador

Amira hosted a voter registration drive at her high school’s homecoming football game, and she is working with her principal to make it an annual event even after she’s graudated. Read more here.

I interned at a voter registration nonprofit where I really got to see firsthand voter registration efforts... I may not be able to vote this election, but I am really excited for the day that I am.

– Chloe Lee, Student Ambassador and Girls Write Now Mentee

At age 16, Chloe put together multiple social media videos to promote voter registration efforts across the nation. Watch one of her videos here.