With Election Day less than three weeks away and The Big Send’s October 29 mail date even closer, our volunteers are prepared to send millions of letters to potential voters across the country. Hosting backyard get-togethers, writing letters in front of the TV, or coming together virtually to write as a community—it all adds up. Every day, volunteers are “adopting” tens of thousands of additional voters to help spread the message of why they vote in every election.

But it’s not only fellow voters who are telling their stories: Future voters—from preschoolers to high schoolers—are joining in on letter-writing, too.

These young volunteers can’t cast a ballot yet themselves, but they can ask letter recipients to use their vote with younger Americans in mind. While they’re not 18 yet, these future voters will grow up with the impact of this year’s elections on our democracy, climate, education systems, reproductive rights, and so much more.

Future voters typically handwrite an edit to the sentence on the letter template that says "I vote because..." to add in something like "I will vote because..." before sharing their message. Others lend a hand by getting creative with addressing or decorating envelopes. Writing letters with Vote Forward is one way for them to start making a difference now, and we’re proud to offer this way for the whole family to participate in our democracy.

"At first my 6-year-old son was just excited to be part of the letter-making process (affixing stamps, sealing envelopes). Now he is starting to understand why it’s so important for us to join this effort." — Mike, a Vote Forward volunteer

Whether it’s 16-year-olds organizing a student letter-writing club, or small children joining their parents at the kitchen table with stamps and crayons, Vote Forward’s impact goes beyond even the letters sent or votes counted (both impressive feats!). Together, this community is inspiring and empowering the next generation of democracy advocates. For that, we can’t thank you enough.

P.S. Are you a future voter writing letters with Vote Forward, or know someone who is (nephew, grandchild, etc.)? We’d love to hear from you. Complete this short survey to tell us about your experience.