In 2020 the national student voting rate increased to 66% from 52% in 2016. Students’ unprecedented turnout was close to the national voting rate of 67%. When faculty provide concrete steps around voting and help students make plans to vote, students are more likely to turn out.
Most college students are young, have little or no history of voting, and are residentially mobile, which works against their rates of voter registration and voter turnout. Studies show that encouragement from faculty, staff, and other students makes a significant difference in their student registration and turnout (Bennion and Nickerson, 2016; DellaVigna, List, Malmendier and Rao, 2016; Gerber and Rogers, 2009). Encouraging students to engage in the democratic process is a non-partisan activity.
Use this faculty guide to bring voter registration, education and voter turnout information directly into the classroom.
Setting aside time in class to talk about the importance and process of registering, as well as providing time for students to register, is even more important than ever before.
In a democracy, a government is chosen by voting to elect representatives to make policy and enforce laws while representing the citizens. The Northern Illinois University encourages eligible students to exercise their right to vote, and students of all citizenship backgrounds to actively engage in issues of public concern. When more people participate, a broader array of perspectives is represented in policies and laws that impact our country, society and the world. You can register to vote at go.niu.edu/Huskies-Vote.
Set aside time to discuss civic learning and democratic engagement in your classroom. When faculty connect elections and voting directly to policies that intersect with course content, it provides the additional "why" we vote.
If you have questions or would like to propose an event related to the ALL IN Campus Challenge, email us at All_In@niu.edu.