9 Picture Books About Voting and Elections

It’s never too early to learn the importance of voting and what better way to introduce social justice, civil and voter rights than through an ABC book? This playful, though powerful book engages little readers in the tenants of democracy and activism through rhyming text and colorful works of art.

With a selfish lion running the jungle, all the animals gather together and decide it’s time to live in a democracy where their voices and opinions will be heard. Each candidate begins their campaign and participates in debates, rallies, and even takes selfies with potential voters in hopes of winning. In the end, there’s a new king of the jungle, or, might I say, president.

Featuring slide-and-vote panels allowing little readers to cast their votes, making decisions about everyday situations has never been so much fun! On each page children get to decide things like what to wear, which ice cream flavor they prefer and even which toys to add to their bubble baths.

This story tells the history and evolution of voting rights in America. From the initial inequities of who was granted the right to vote, to all the individuals who fought for change and equality over the years, this is a true call to action letting readers know the journey isn’t over.

When Stanton Elementary School transforms into a polling station, students decide to learn more about the election process and what they can do to help spread the word. They begin visiting homes throughout their community urging adults to cast their votes and when met with excuses for not voting, they share all the resources in town that make the process smooth and accessible for all.

Following the journey and memories of a phenomenal 100-year-old woman as she makes the journey up a steep hill to an Alabama courthouse to cast her vote, this story is an important reminder of the perseverance of those exercising their right to vote. As Lillian reaches the courthouse she thinks back to the Civil Rights Movement and all the men and women who fought for voting equality for her and all Black people in America.

This story sparks each reader’s imagination as they envision what it would be like if they ran for president in the United States of America. Each page explains and navigates through all the steps using detailed information on political parties, the election process, and the role of the president. With diverse representation showing that anyone can become president, all readers can imagine a world in which they are leading our country.

Set to the rhyming scheme of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a young girl explains all the exciting things that happen in her family and at school around election time. Her school prepares for election day by making flags to display in her classroom and learning all about the two political parties and how special it is to have a choice in who they vote for. When voters arrive for the big election, they are welcomed with colorful crepe paper and decorations making this an even more remarkable event.

When Pudding the snail and his friends can’t seem to agree on anything, they decide they need a leader to bring everyone’s voice together. Now deciding who this person would be caused quite the stir and Pudding couldn’t get a word in. The animals begin to argue that the leader should be the tallest, or the fastest, or the loudest. In the end, Pudding finally gets his friends to understand that when everyone gets a say, no one feels left out.