Governor's Civic Engagement Award
“Voting is the foundation for political action.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Pennsylvania Departments of State and Education, in collaboration with Inspire US, are excited to launch this year's Governor’s Civic Engagement Award for high school students throughout the state. The award is intended to recognize and commemorate the efforts of the next generation of leaders to educate, engage and inform their fellow students about how to get involved in the voting process.
Schools are recognized for registering eligible students to vote. To be eligible, students must be 18 years of age, or 17 years of age and will be 18 on or before the next election. Applications are due on April 22, 2019, and the calculations to determine that 65% or 85% of the school's eligible students are registered is based on the number of students who are eligible to vote in the May 2019 primary election.
Individual students are recognized for their efforts to register their peers to vote, and their service as poll workers. Students must be at least 17 years of age and obtain permission from their principal and parent/guardian to serve as a poll worker. Individual students must be recommended for the award by a representative from their school or the county election office. Award applications can be mailed to the Department of State, c/o Governor's Civic Engagement Award, 210 North Office Bldg., Harrisburg, PA, 17120 or emailed to ra-voterreg@pa.gov.
Printer-friendly Pennsylvania voter education materials can be found in the resource center. High schools can also sign up directly with Inspire US at: inspire-usa.org/high_school_signup. Inspire can help high schools coordinate peer-to-peer voter registration drives and Get Out the Vote events. They also provide materials and data management, and organize school celebrations and recognition events.
Award Distinctions:
Gold Level: 85% of eligible students are registered to vote.
Student ambassadors and the school will receive award certificates from Governor Tom Wolf/Secretary of State Pedro Cortés at a public ceremony at the school location.
Silver Level: 65% of eligible students registered to vote.
Student ambassadors will receive award certificates.
Individual Award: Voter Registration Leads and Poll Workers
Individual award recipients will be invited to participate in a program and ceremony in Harrisburg.
Governor's Civic Engagement Award - School Application
Governor's Civic Engagement Award - Individual Nomination