Voting Rights, Civics and Misinformation

While there is certainly widespread disagreement when it comes to political issues, voting is a right that most Americans agree is central to our democracy. To exercise that right requires a unique combination of civic engagement, voting knowledge and reliable sources of news and information.

Today too many news media, especially online, focus on infotainment rather than information; too many schools have dropped basic civics classes from their curriculum; and, too many Americans, especially young and first time voters, are increasingly confused about voting, voter registration and their rights as citizens.

To help address these issues, the LWV developed a free, fun, online game for young and future voters. VerifyIt! (https://verifyit.buzz) addresses the pressing need for civics and voting education, including tools to identify mis and disinformation. We developed VerifyIt! (https://verifyit.buzz) to help young people evaluate and source the information they see, read and hear every day.

As we approach our 102^nd year as an organization founded on voting rights, we think that voter education is still a critical part of a healthy democracy. We have partnered with other non-profit organizations focused on civics and voting to introduce the game to schools, community groups and individuals throughout the country to help empower and motivate young voters.

As FDR once said – “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves – and the only way they can do that is by not voting.” So let’s start by educating our first time voters in a way that builds awareness, knowledge and ultimately civic engagement. VerifyIt! (https://verifyit.buzz) can help.