This activity will have two major steps that can either be done at the same time or separately depending on your meeting length.

Step 1

Discuss what voting is and what it means to vote

What type of things do people vote for in the United States?

Who is allowed to vote?  Who is not allowed to vote?  Why not?

Learn about why voting is important.  Consider “no taxation without representation”. What about people who pay taxes, but can’t vote (under 18 workers; non-citizen workers)

Learn about the history of voting rights.  Read books or watch videos to give some context if that helps.

1776 – white men 21 and older who owned property

1870 – Black men were granted the right to vote by the 15th Amendment, but they were often prevented or blocked from voting

1920 – women gain the right to vote by the 19th Amendment

1924 – Native Americans gained the right to vote, but it was not allowed in all states

1943 – Chinese Americans gain citizenship and the right to vote

1964 – poll taxes are banned

1965 – the Voting Rights Act passes → all citizens age 21 and up can vote, and no literacy tests are allowed

1971 – the voting age is changed to 18

1975 – districts are required to allow / support voters who don’t speak English

1982 – voting protections added for people with disabilities and elderly people

1984 – voting is required to be accessible

Step 2

• Hold an election with your group to determine which cookie is the best cookie for a group snack.  Divide the group into two (or however many you choose) and assign them a cookie.  (NOTE: consider cookies: that most would like; or one that addresses allergies; or one that only a few would like; or whatever you have and is that better than none)
• Have each side discuss pros and cons for their cookie and create statements/arguments to support each idea they come up with.
• Have each side make posters to support their positions (both pro and con, but only about their cookies not disparaging the other cookie)
• Have each team member (or have them choose a spokesperson) present their argument to the group.
• Once each side has presented, put everyone back into one single group and explain that now they need to vote based on the presented arguments and that they do not have to vote for the side they worked on.
• Cast votes with a show of hands or secret ballot and then celebrate the winner.
• Eat all the cookies, because all cookies are good.