Staff and faculty joined the Gephardt Institute in running “Ready, Set, Vote,” a university-wide event spotlighting National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, Sept. 17, to encourage voting and spread the word on voter registration deadlines and requirements.
National Voter Registration Day is an annual holiday to remind eligible voters to register, check local voting requirements, and make a plan to cast their ballots. This year, with a major election just weeks away, WashU staff and faculty were eager to help.
“I was blown away by the response from our colleagues around the university,” said Otto Brown, Civic Engagement Manager for the Gephardt Institute. “We were so visible to so much of the WashU community, and the day was a big success for voter registration and education.”
At the end of the day, Brown said that 233 WashU students, faculty and staff registered to vote, while 148 others checked their voter registration, all through WashU’s TurboVote site. Another 250 people used TurboVote as a result of an election-focused email to the student body from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Anna Gonzalez. In total, 1,491 people have signed-up to register to vote, check their registration or get election reminders via WashU’s TurboVote site since July 1 this year, and many more have registered directly with their state’s website.
Brown worked with departments on the Danforth and Medical Campuses to establish Voter Engagement Hubs, or spots on campus where colleagues set up in high-traffic areas—both in- and outdoors—to connect with as many students as possible. In total, 13 hubs were established, each staffed by two or more people.
Each hub was provided a comprehensive set of materials that included voter registration, voting options, and election day information, as well as posters, “I’m Registered to Vote” buttons, and other materials to help promote voter engagement. The staff members were prepared to answer voting questions, and hailed students over to ask if they were registered.
The Ready, Set, Vote event even caught the attention of local TV station KMOV, which aired a story the following day. Watch it here.
“I think all the attention—and all the amazing support—we’re getting just goes to show that people are hungry to not only participate in democracy, but to help others do the same,” Brown said. “We’re here to help make sure that every student who is eligible and wants to vote, can vote, and our WashU community is very supportive of that mission.”