Dickinson Votes: Empowering Student Voices in 2024
Annual, ongoing, initiative sets the tone for the importance of students getting involved with elections
by Tony Moore
Dickinson Votes, the college's nonpartisan voter engagement initiative, is gearing up for the 2024 election season with events designed to encourage student participation in the democratic process. The 8-year-old initiative, led by Associate Professor of Political Science Sarah Niebler and Associate Professor of Sociology Erik Love, aims to underscore the ease of registering to vote and the importance of voting.
“Voting is the most direct means we have to make our government and its policies work for us,” says Zoe Selig, a voter engagement coordinator for Dickinson Votes. “Every aspect of our lives is affected by who is elected to office, from the money we make to the places we live, to the people with whom we surround ourselves, so it’s important that we choose elected officials who will advocate for our values.”
As part of the ongoing awareness and education initiative, the Dickinson Votes team runs an information table during Orientation events and throughout the semester, trains students to engage in peer-to-peer voter registration, and educates students about candidates on the ballot and what students can expect when they get to the polls. On Election Day, they coordinate a team of volunteers celebrating student voters by handing out stickers and snacks when students finish voting.
National Voter Registration Day Event
On National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, Sept. 17, Dickinson Votes will host a voter registration event on Britton Plaza from noon until 1:15 p.m., providing students with the opportunity to register and learn more about the voting process.
“College students make up a large portion of eligible voters in America,” says Erin Zacks, another voter engagement coordinator. “By spreading the get-out-the-vote initiative on college campuses, we further the power of our democracy and truly make a collective difference.”
After Pennsylvania’s October 21 voter registration deadline passes, the initiative will shift its focus to turnout efforts, ensuring that registered voters have the information and support they need to cast their ballots. Dickinson students who register to vote using their campus address can cast their ballots at the Bosler Public Library, conveniently located across the street from Denny Hall.
In the wake of these efforts, Dickinson has been named a Voter Friendly Campus for 2023-24. The college has also been named an All-In Platinum Seal Campus in 2020 and a Gold Seal Campus in 2022 and received a Highly Established Action Plan award in 2022.
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Published September 9, 2024