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WASHINGTON — Young adults will be our nation’s largest eligible voting block in the 2020 election, and this generation of voters is enthusiastic about civic participation and eager to make their voices heard. To prepare them to do just that, today a diverse coalition of voting groups, research hubs, and civic tech engines have launched National Voter Education Week (NVEW), a campaign to equip voters with the tools, information, and confidence that they need to cast their ballots this fall. NVEW will take place October 5-9 across digital platforms.

New and young voters often point to systemic barriers as key factors that keep them out of the voting booth, and nearly half of voters aged 18-29 cite a process issue as the reason they did not vote in the 2016 election. National Voter Education Week will help voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters will learn to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or by mail, and more. NVEW will help voters overcome common barriers to become a confident voter and ambassadors of voting in their own communities this November and beyond. 

National Voter Education Week’s founding partners include The Andrew Goodman Foundation, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, BallotReady, Campus Vote Project, Democracy Works, the Fair Elections Center, Facebook, ideas42, the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, NAACP Youth & College Division, the National Vote at Home Institute, Nonprofit VOTE, the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition, Rock the Vote, and Vote Early Day.

“We know that when new and young voters feel prepared and supported they make their voices heard, that’s why we launched National Voter Education Week,” said Clarissa Unger, Director of the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition. “Especially as colleges and universities grapple with a changing environment, we want to ensure that student voters feel confident in exercising their right to vote in person, early, or by mail. This week brings institutions, community groups, corporations, artists, and advocates together with one goal: getting young people #VoteReady.”

NVEW will be a week-long digital campaign, with events livestreamed on various platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Partners will receive customizable content and are invited to create materials geared towards educating new voters. To become a partner, create content, or get involved visit votereducationweek.org.