WASHINGTON, DC — Emphasizing that every policy shaping the daily lives of minors is crafted by adults who hold political power, Children’s Defense Fund Action (CDF Action) has officially launched its sweeping new nonpartisan initiative, "Voting Rights are Children’s Rights." As the grassroots lobbying and advocacy arm of the renowned national child advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund, CDF Action is stepping forward ahead of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections to shift the national consciousness regarding civic responsibility and youth welfare.
The campaign, which rolled out nationally, is designed to remind the American electorate of a fundamental civic reality: while children and young people cannot cast ballots at the ballot box, every single law, budget cut, and legislative decision that directly impacts their education, health, safety, and future is decided entirely by individuals who can. By bridging the gap between adult electoral choices and the direct welfare of the nation’s youngest generation, CDF Action hopes to foster a culture where voters view the ballot box not just as an instrument for personal or partisan interests, but as a vital mechanism for protecting children.
To support this mission, the organization has deployed a comprehensive suite of digital and community-based resources tailored for parents, caregivers, faith leaders, congregations, and emerging young voters. These materials are hosted on the campaign’s dedicated online hub and are crafted to help eligible adults educate themselves, prioritize child-centric policies, and seamlessly integrate children into their voting plans. Among the available resources are voter action guides, clear registration instructions, and practical strategies designed to help families talk openly about civic choices, model active participation by taking children to the polls, and discuss the outcomes of elections afterward.
As part of the nationwide push, CDF Action is actively mobilizing CDF Freedom Schools partner sites to host special "Read Aloud for Democracy" experiences at or near early voting centers across the country. Scheduled around early voting windows, these community gatherings invite parents and children to read together before walking directly into voting centers to participate in the democratic process firsthand in states where early voting has already commenced.
The strategy behind the initiative is rooted in the belief that civic engagement is a habit that must be nurtured long before an individual reaches the legal voting age. In a recent, powerful address delivered to the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., CDF Action President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson underscored the critical importance of letting children witness the voting process with their own eyes. He issued a direct call to action for all eligible voters who have children in their lives to keep youth interests at the forefront of their minds and to physically bring young people along to the polling places.
Dr. Wilson explained that waiting until citizens turn 18 to encourage political participation is simply too late, arguing that society must cultivate a robust culture of civic responsibility by actively modeling the behavior. Furthermore, Dr. Wilson addressed the broader political landscape, pointing to the intense election protection work required during this election cycle. He emphasized that voters must be prepared for a moral confrontation at the polls to counter deliberate efforts aimed at disenfranchising marginalized communities—tactics that he argues ultimately serve to silence the voices of America’s children.
This sentiment was further amplified by Brittany Packnett Cunningham, CDF Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, who highlighted how deeply intertwined voter suppression and child welfare truly are. Packnett Cunningham framed the "Voting Rights are Children’s Rights" campaign as an urgent, necessary response to mounting legal and political attacks on the franchise, pointing specifically to the U.S. Supreme Court’s consequential decision in Louisiana v. Callais.
According to Packnett Cunningham, the connection between legislative votes and the lived experiences of children is immediate, undeniable, and deeply personal. Every public school that is shuttered, every subsidized school lunch program that gets reduced, and every rural or urban hospital that closes its doors—leaving a mother without proper prenatal care—is the direct result of a political vote. Consequently, she argued that it is impossible for individuals to genuinely claim they care about the well-being of children while remaining passive as voting access is restricted.
Beyond encouraging turnout in the upcoming midterms, CDF Action’s broader policy agenda calls on voters to focus heavily on structural reforms, including the active expansion of voting rights, comprehensive court system reform, and rigorous accountability measures to combat corruption. The organization remains deeply committed to empowering the next generation to step forward as active participants in public life through volunteering, advocacy, and civic education. As part of this long-term vision, CDF Action continues to advocate for lowering the federal voting age to 16, a move intended to give adolescents a direct institutional voice in the political decisions that profoundly affect their development, education, and future.
Through grassroots mobilization, legislative advocacy in Washington and statehouses, and public accountability campaigns, CDF Action continues its decades-long mission—rooted in its origins as the Washington Research Project Action Council founded in 1969—to ensure that the needs of children remain central to the American political conversation.
