How to Build a Pro-Democracy Club at Your School in 5 Steps

Written by Sophia Lee

Photo by BABE VOTE

Published August 11, 2025

Last Updated August 11, 2025

Change starts in classrooms, cafeterias, and after-school meetings. The everyday places where young people gather, talk, and organize. If you’ve ever felt like your voice doesn’t matter, or that the issues in your community are too big to tackle, starting a pro-democracy club at your school is one of the most powerful ways to prove otherwise.

Whether you’re responding to censorship, advocating for inclusive education, or simply making sure your peers are registered to vote, student-led organizing matters. And here at BABE VOTE, we believe in supporting that work every step of the way, especially through our Campus Captain Program, which helps student leaders like you turn your passion into action.

Here’s how to start building power on your campus.

1. Find Your Why

Every movement starts with a mission.

Ask yourself: What’s pushing you to get involved? Maybe it’s the lack of student voice in decisions. Maybe it’s misinformation online. Maybe it’s voter suppression in your state. Your reason is personal, and it’s powerful.

Write it down. Share it with others. Your “why” is the heartbeat of your club and the foundation of your mission.

Here’s an example to inspire you:

“We believe that students have a right, and responsibility, to participate in democracy. We’re here to educate, organize, and amplify the voices of young people.”

Need help crafting your message? BABE VOTE Campus Captains get training and mentorship on how to identify their “why” and build it into real organizing.

2. Gather Your Team

You don’t need 20 people to start, just one good conversation. Then another.

Talk to classmates, friends, and teachers who care about civic engagement, social justice, and student power. Look for people who bring different strengths:

The organizer who’s always planning something
The designer who creates great posters and social media content
The researcher who loves digging into policy or current events
The communicator who can speak at assemblies or write newsletters
The listener who helps keep meetings inclusive and welcoming

Once you have a core team of 3–5 people, set a meeting date and start making things official.

If you’re a BABE VOTE Campus Captain, this is your squad! Bring them into the work. Share what you’re learning in your trainings. Let them lead with you.

3. Get Recognized by Your School

Most schools require clubs to meet a few criteria:

Submit a club application or charter
Write a mission statement
Have a faculty advisor
Hold regular meetings

Choose an advisor who values youth voice and civic education: a social studies teacher, counselor, or librarian can be great allies. They’ll help you navigate school policies and support you when challenges come up.

Your application can be simple and clear:

“The Pro-Democracy Club exists to promote civic engagement, voter education, and student-led advocacy. We empower students to speak up, get involved, and lead change in our schools and communities.”

If you’re a Campus Captain, we can help walk you through this process! Just reach out to the BABE VOTE team for support or materials to include in your application.

4. Plan Your First Campaign or Event

Clubs stay alive when they take action. Start small, but intentional. Here are a few first steps that Campus Captains and school clubs across Idaho have taken:

Voter Registration Drive: Host a table during lunch or at a school event. BABE VOTE can send you a toolkit and materials to help students 17+ pre-register to vote.
Teach-In or Panel: Organize a student-led discussion on issues like book bans, civil rights, or school board elections.
Attend a School Board Meeting: Go as a group. Listen, take notes, and maybe even speak during public comment. Then debrief back at school.
Poster or Sticker Campaign: Share quick facts about student rights, local elections, or upcoming ballot initiatives. Just be sure to follow school guidelines on displays.

As a Campus Captain, your job isn’t to do it all, it’s to spark engagement and build a team that takes action together. We’ll back you up with resources, templates, and mentorship.

5. Build for the Long Run

The most powerful clubs don’t just make noise, they last.

Here’s how to build something sustainable:

Create leadership roles like president, events coordinator, social media lead, and outreach coordinator
Recruit underclassmen to join early and stick with it
Document everything: your meeting notes, flyers, contact lists, so future leaders can carry the work forward
Connect to the bigger picture by partnering with local advocacy groups for support, training, and campaign ideas

And don’t forget: celebrate your wins! Whether you registered 20 new voters, hosted a teach-in, or just got your club approved, every step forward matters.

As a Campus Captain, you’ll also be part of a statewide network of other students organizing for democracy. You’ll have access to private trainings, merch, and regular check-ins with the BABE VOTE team to grow your leadership and expand your impact.

This Work Matters. So Do You.

Starting a club may feel small, but it’s exactly the kind of work democracy needs. In moments when young people are told to stay silent, student-led clubs become spaces of resistance, learning, and power.

You don’t need permission to care.
You don’t need to wait until you can vote.
You just need the courage to start.

Democracy is a team sport. Let’s build your team.

Ready to Start Your Club?

Become a BABE VOTE Campus Captain and get the tools, support, and community you need to lead.

Let’s build something big, together.

Apply Today!

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