Carrie Chapman Catt Award
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate kicked off a new voter registration initiative on September 10, 2019 aimed at Iowa high school students. Every school in Iowa that signs up and registers at least 90 percent of their eligible students to vote will receive the Carrie Chapman Catt Award, named after the Iowan who was a national leader in the women’s suffrage movement. Schools that register 50% and 70% of their eligible students will also receive statewide recognition.
“A record number of Iowans are registered to vote, and schools across the state have stepped up in a big way the past few years to get students registered,” Secretary Pate said. “I hope these positive trends will continue. It’s vital that we engage students in the electoral process.”
State law allows 17-year-olds to register to vote in Iowa. They can also participate in primary elections if they will be 18 years old in time for the general election.
Unsure if your school has signed up? Check out this sign-up map below to see which school statewide are participating:
Will you help organize the Carrie Chapman Catt Award at your school? Your school could earn the award in as little as four easy steps:
Step 1: Click Registration to sign up for the 2022-2023 Carrie Chapman Catt Award.
Step 2: Promote the 2022-2023 Carrie Chapman Catt Award to your students and fellow teachers and administrators in your school.
Step 3: Conduct a voter registration drive and either mail your students’ voter registrations forms and pledge to vote cards OR electronically register to vote and submit pledge to vote cards online. Our partners at Inspire2Vote will provide virtual, nonpartisan voter registration trainings tailored towards Iowa to all schools interested (free of charge), as well as pre-paid shipping labels for voter registration forms and pledge to vote cards.
Step 4: Have all voter registration forms and pledge to vote cards either mailed or submitted electronically prior to the Tuesday, March 29, 2022 deadline. As updates become available, follow along in Award Tracking to reference your school’s eligible progress towards achieving the award.
OUR HASHTAG FOR THE 2021-2022 CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT AWARD: #BEAVOTER
Encourage your students, teachers, and schools to use the hashtag #BEAVOTER on any social media posts or photos that they upload during the Carrie Chapman Catt Award. We may feature them on the Iowa Secretary of State’s official social media accounts and press releases. Together, we can make #BEAVOTER trend and showcase your school’s achievement.
*Eligible students refers to all students at your high school who are US citizens and at least 17 years old.
*The 90% benchmark is established by the senior class size as indicated in the sign-up form. Juniors who are 17 years old and participate in the program will be credited toward your senior class size total.
The competition for the 2022-2023 Carrie Chapman Catt Award will end on Friday, March 31st, 2023.
For all questions, comments, or outside inquiries, please contact Allison.Gates@sos.iowa.gov or call (515) 725-1012.
For information and official results regarding the 2021-2022 Carrie Chapman Catt Award, please click here.
For information and official results regarding the 2020-2021 Carrie Chapman Catt Award, please click here.
For information and official results regarding the 2019-2020 Carrie Chapman Catt Award, please click here.