Colleges are taking the initiative to get students out to vote in this November’s elections. Close to 41 million people ages 18 to 27 will be eligible to vote, with 8.3 million newly eligible since the 2022 midterm elections, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. So, at Seattle-area colleges, initiatives range from staff in a Statue of Liberty suit encouraging voter registration to educational election and ballot box pizza parties, vote-tripling programs, the Democracy Dawgs working to build a stronger culture of civic and democratic engagement, and much more.
U.S. Census data shows that 48% of people ages 18 to 24 voted in the 2020 presidential election, compared to 78% of those 60 or older.
“We have a responsibility to play a role in developing this active and informed citizenry by educating our students and motivating them to engage in our democracy,” Fran Lo, executive director of the Community Engagement and Leadership Education Center at the University of Washington, told The Seattle Times. “Not only during their time in college, but instilling this value of lifelong participation.”
Read more about the creative initiatives at a variety of institutions here.
