Engage Candidates
Will Candidates Raise their Hands for Kids?
2024 is a big election year. Candidates are running to serve in the White House, in Congress, in state houses and at the local level.
It’s vital that the critical needs of children are front and center.
How You Can Help
You can help by asking candidates to prioritize expanding early learning and addressing child hunger.
Find candidates
Start at the candidates’ websites. Sign up for the email updates. Look at their events page for upcoming appearances. Follow them on social media. As election day gets closer, local news outlets may also share updates about candidate appearances, debates, and forums.
Prepare your questions
Have your question ready to go. If you have a personal connection to the question, incorporate into your question. Try to practice a few times before you arrive. See some sample questions below.
Arrive early and be visible
Once you have found an opportunity to ask a candidate a question, be sure to arrive early. Find a spot near the front or in the aisle where the candidate will see you. Be sure to wear your Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) t-shirt to the event. A friendly smile can go a long way to engaging with the candidate.
Take a photo
After the event, ask the candidate if you can take a photo with them. Share this with your SCAN staff contact and post to your social media pages. Be sure to tag SCAN when you post at:
Facebook: @SavetheChildrenAction
Twitter:
@SCActionNetwork
Instagram: @thefuturetomorrow
Follow up
Share your experience with your SCAN staff contact. If the candidate asked you a question you couldn’t answer at the time, reach out to your SCAN staff person to help find the answer. Then follow up with the candidate or his/her/their staff with the information.
Questions to Ask Candidates
Early Childhood Education
- Head Start is a program that helps meet the educational, nutrition, and other needs of young children. This ensures they are ready to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. This effective program only serves 36% of eligible children due to a lack of investment by Congress. Appropriate for federal candidates only
- Child care costs are an enormous strain on families. The lack of affordable child care is a key barrier to parents entering the workforce. Appropriate for both state and federal candidates
- Early childhood educators are underpaid, and programs are struggling to survive. Appropriate for both state and federal candidates
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps 42 million people experiencing food insecurity. Nearly half of those are children. SNAP improves kids’ long-term health, behavior and academic performance. Appropriate for both state and federal candidates
- With millions of children in the U.S. still going hungry. Appropriate for both state and federal candidates
Victoria Zegler
Add Your Voice
Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) shows up and speaks out for kids. Help us fight to give every child a strong start in life.
899 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 900
Washington D.C. 20002
(800) 243-5075
supportercare@savechildren.org
Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) was created in 2014 as the political advocacy arm of Save the Children, to be the political voice for kids. We work to ensure that the issues critical to children’s lives and futures are given top priority by our elected leaders, building bipartisan support to make sure every child has a strong start in life.