To be most effective we suggest that you use this on your last class on the week before Election Day, particularly since it may encourage early voting/absentee voting, in addition to getting people out to the local polls. The following script has been developed by a team of social scientists using research that has proven effective in increasing turnout among potential voters. Feel free to customize it to your circumstances, for example if you teach at a school where everyone commutes. But remember, the way we have written these questions is based on research which has been shown to increase turnout, so stick to it as closely as possible. Italics indicate what you should read.... Before we begin today I'd like to ask you a few questions. As you know there is an important election this coming Tuesday and I would like to encourage you to vote. A national group of teachers is interested in learning how and when students will be voting in this election First, I am curious about your intentions about whether you will vote. By a show of hands, how many of you are planning to vote. Please raise your hand and keep it up, so I can get a count of how many of you are going to vote in this election? (Please try to count, or at least estimate the number of students in your class who are raising their hands, we will ask you for this in a followup email) There a lots of opportunities for you to vote, I’m curious how many of you will do it in these different ways. (For each of these questions, please ask them hold up their hands while you estimate the percentage. Simply taking the time to count gives your students time to think about their answers which increases turnout)
You can download a printable PDF file of these instructions here. |