Grand Votes: A Message for Grandparents & Grandfriends

Kofi Anan once said, “No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime.” These processes are never more evident than when elections come around. With lawn signs, TV ads, phone calls and more, it’s a rich time to engage in intergenerational dialogues about our democratic process and our responsibilities as citizens.

Voting is more than just a personal decision — it’s a civic responsibility that has the power to shape communities and our country. For older adults, it’s also an opportunity to pass down important values to younger generations. Yet many voters are considering skipping the election. This sends the wrong message to the next generation. A 2021 study found adult grandchildren whose grandparents voted were more likely to vote themselves, underscoring the ripple effect of civic engagement.

You may think your vote doesn’t matter, but it does in more ways than one. Three-quarters of grandparents say voting is a value they are passing down, or they are interested in passing down, to their grandchildren. Consistently demonstrating its importance is crucial to fostering a culture of civic responsibility.

As the election rapidly approaches, use this opportunity to share the value of voting with the young people in your life. Consider these ideas and start now:

1. Discuss how every vote counts.

One way to make this come alive for your grandchildren is to create a voting timeline that shows how voting rights have been established and threatened over the years. Personalize it by indicating the first year you voted and noting significant aspects of the elections you remember most vividly. Find out how your grandchildren feel about local or national issues that they can relate to, and how their vote could affect those issues. As the results come in following the election, look at some of the close races and talk about how the outcome could affect your communities and our country.

2. Help your grandchild or another young adult register to vote.

While attention is on the election, if your grandchild is 18 or older and not registered, get them registered to vote. You can do this online or even more fun, if you live in the same area, take them in person and then have lunch.

3. Model how to prepare for the election.

Preparation is key to making informed voting decisions. Share how you research candidates and ballot measures using voter guides, news outlets, watching candidate debates, and attending or watching campaign events. This not only models civic responsibility but also encourages active engagement in the political process.

4. Make voting an intergenerational experience.

Plan to take your grandchild or a neighborhood teenager to the polls. You can celebrate afterwards with a treat and talk about the experience. If you vote by mail, research your candidates together and fill out your ballot with your grandchild or another young person in your life. If you volunteer at a polling place, invite them to come by and help you out for an hour. Start now to develop this into a community-wide activity.

5. Vote for the future.

A poll commissioned by Generations United found the majority of Americans believe that publicly funded programs targeted at specific age groups such as K-12 or Social Security are not burdensome responsibilities to certain age groups, but investments that benefit all generations. Talk with your grandchildren about a ballot initiative that you voted for that didn’t directly impact you, but you knew was a good investment in the future, their future.

Stay engaged beyond election day!

Civic engagement doesn’t end at the ballot box. Encourage young people to follow up on election results and stay informed on ongoing issues. Consider these ideas:

1. Write a welcome letter together to a newly elected official and let them know what’s important to you.

Find an issue you and a young person in your life both care about, whether it’s a new crosswalk, investing in high-quality education, protecting the environment, or ensuring people of all ages have access to health care. Show them if it’s important, it’s important enough to take the time to express your opinion.

2. Recruit other older adults and volunteer together in a school.

There are a number of terrific intergenerational programs that support transferring civic values from one generation to another. Some examples of discussion questions include:

• What was the first Presidential election that you voted in?
• Susan B Anthony and her suffrage activism was not enough to get women the right to vote before she died. Her efforts included…
• The voting age requirement was not always at 18. I remember when…

As grandparents, grand-aunts and uncles and caring adults, we all have a responsibility and an opportunity to keep our country strong and invest in our citizens of the future. Whatever the results are, talk with your grandchildren and the young people in your lives about the effects of the outcome and how it will impact your communities. And plan to make voting an intergenerational experience in the future. Democracy is not a given — it’s something we must actively nurture, generation after generation.

This blog post was updated from November 8, 2022.