Step 1: Registration

Turning 18 seems to allow for a rite of passage. Eighteen years marks an era of excitement with cigarettes (please, just no), the ability to enlist…but it also brings arguably the most thrilling opportunity of all: registering to vote! The opportunity to participate and share your voice in your country is one taken for granted by too many, as research shows that in the most recent midterm election, voter turnout was barely above 50%. Registering to vote is a rite of passage, and can easily be done. With a few clicks and forms filled out, you can be well on your way to using your vote to shape our world. 

You can register to vote online here and can do so within six months of turning 18 or anytime after. To be able to vote in Missouri’s primary, you must be registered to vote by Feb. 12. Once you register to vote, encourage your friends and family to register. Hosting a voter drive is a fun and easy way to encourage others to participate in our political system. Sharing posts from social media campaigns dedicated to increasing voter turnout can help ideas of registration reach younger audiences. Once you’re registered to vote, it’s time to start the next step.