Submitted by Washington Secretary of State
Public high schools throughout Washington will observe Temperance and Good Citizenship Day Friday, January 14.
One of several Washington state civic observances, Temperance and Good Citizenship Day was enacted by the state legislature in 1923 to promote civics education and peaceful citizen engagement. On Temperance and Good Citizenship Day, high-school seniors have the opportunity to register to vote during their social studies classes, either with a printed voter-registration form or via VoteWA.gov, Washington’s online voter portal.
The Office of the Secretary of State offers educators several online resources including a “Teaching Elections in Washington State” curriculum guide, Classroom Guide to Registering Voters, printable voter-registration forms, and more. The Office of the Secretary of State partnered with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to add Temperance and Good Citizenship Day to the Future Voter program. Future Voter allows 16- and 17-year-olds to sign up as future voters and be automatically registered to vote when they become eligible.
Also, starting this year, new legislation allows 17-year-olds who turn 18 between the August Primary Election and the November General Election to vote in the primary. For more information, voters are encouraged to visit the Elections page on the Secretary of State’s website or contact their local elections office.
“As educators, part of our mission is to ensure that our students are ready to become the leaders of tomorrow,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal. “Temperance and Good Citizenship Day is an opportunity to teach these values and inspire the next generation of voters, civil servants, and community leaders.”
“Registering to vote early in life is the first step toward being civically engaged and becoming a lifelong voter,” said Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. “Temperance and Good Citizenship Day is an opportunity to remind our young citizens that they have an indispensable voice in shaping the future of our state, our nation, and our world.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.
