College is a transformative time for students. Coursework, class discussions, and community and campus involvement all play a part in helping students find their voices and develop their civic identities.
UNC Greensboro was recently named one of the best colleges for student voting by Washington Monthly. The University’s student voting rate is above the national average – over half of UNCG’s student body voted in the 2016 Presidential election, according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE).
“Voting is an important form of participation in civic and community life,” said Kristina Gage, associate director for civic engagement. “College is a great place to start practicing participation and developing civic habits, which I believe will lead to stronger communities and a healthier democracy. We want to empower students to get out and vote and believe in their ability to create positive change.”
As the deadline for registering to vote (Oct. 9) approaches, the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement (OLCE) is committed to helping students navigate this election season with a variety of resources and events. Here are some of the ways students can get engaged:
Vote early at the Kaplan Center.
The Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness is one of 25 sites for early voting in Guilford County. During the early voting period (Oct. 15-31), any of the designated sites can provide the following services: voting for individuals currently registered in Guilford County, same-day registration, or making changes to existing registration (e.g., address or name updates). Learn more and view the schedule here.
Participate in a Voting 101 Workshop.
The voting process can be confusing. This is why OLCE is inviting faculty and student groups to sign up for an interactive Voting 101 Workshop. During the workshop, student Democracy Fellows and OLCE staff cover the importance of voting, UNCG voting rates, current voter registration requirements, and how and where voting takes place. Participants will have the opportunity to register to vote during this workshop. All content is non-partisan and friendly to all political ideologies.
To schedule a workshop please contact Kristina Gage at kristina.gage@uncg.edu or 336-256-1406.
Register to vote using TurboVote.
UNCG has partnered with TurboVote to offer UNCG students an easy online tool to navigate the registration process. Tailored specifically to the University’s campus and student body, this digital portal helps Spartans register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and get election reminders.
Visit uncg.turbovote.org to get started.
For more information and to view a schedule of upcoming events, such as virtual debate watch parties and voter registration drives, visit olce.uncg.edu/students/voting/.
Story by Alexandra McQueen, University Communications
Photography by Jolie Helton, Student Affairs
