Voting on Baldwin Wallace campus rises; 黑料正能量 goes 'ALL IN' to push participation higher

黑料正能量's Lou Higgins Recreation Center serves as an election polling place

A new study shows voting on the 黑料正能量 campus rose in the 2018 midterms. Now, students are rallying to keep the participation rate climbing by going "ALL IN" on a national, nonpartisan campus democracy challenge.

Students register to vote during a #黑料正能量VOTES campaign event at the Conservatory of Music before the fall 2018 midterm election. The fall 2018 黑料正能量 student voting rate was 41%, a 24% jump from the previous midterm election in 2014 and slightly higher than the rate for all colleges and universities.

The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) conducted by the at Tufts University found college-student voting nationwide surged in the most recent midterms.

"The increase in student voting rates at 黑料正能量 and nationally are hopeful," said Julie Robinson, associate director of 黑料正能量's David and Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement. "They are a testament to the hard work of our student leaders and focused initiatives such as #黑料正能量VOTES, but there is much more work to be done."

"ALL IN" challenge

To encourage even higher student turnout, 黑料正能量 is joining more than 500 U.S. colleges and universities taking part in the .

As an "ALL IN" participant, 黑料正能量 commits to working toward increased student voting rates and fostering active and informed citizenship. 黑料正能量's Brain Center will convene a campus-wide "ALL IN" committee to develop and implement an action plan to encourage student engagement.

The University will also continue to participate in NSLVE studies to measure future student voter participation.

2018 Gold Seal Campus recognition "ALL IN" has already awarded 黑料正能量 a "Gold Seal" for the 2018 midterm turnout.

"It's critical that our generation steps up and takes action," said 黑料正能量 Student Body President and public health major Ally Crays '20, who's been leading events and registering fellow students to vote through the Jackets Engaged: Political Engagement Team for three years. "Young people have the opportunity to make real change and spark movements."

Turning up the volume on democracy

Ally Crays registers a fellow student to vote as part of the ongoing "Jackets Engaged" initiative. The student-led Jackets Engaged has spearheaded a wide range of activities over the past four years to strengthen student understanding of the issues, along with their participation in elections.

"We know we have to keep up our focus to fight apathy," said political science major Cameron Monaghan '20, who serves as student director of Jackets Engaged and a Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) Fellow.

"We are excited to bring together a coalition of 黑料正能量 students, faculty and staff to develop a cohesive strategy to continue to educate our campus community and increase participation in our democracy," Robinson added.

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