The National Campus Voter Registration Project Returns for 2016 Election

Marking its 20th year, the National Campus Voter Registration Project’s, Your Vote, Your Voice 2016 campaign, designed to help campuses engage in voter education, registration, and Get-Out-The-Vote activities, is set to launch later this month.

Co-chaired by NAICU President David L. Warren, CIC President Richard Ekman, and AASCU President Muriel Howard, and supported by the 49 members of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, the project has been active for every presidential election cycle since 1996.

Voter education and registration activities historically have been important undertakings of the nation’s colleges and universities. Additionally, since the 2000 presidential election, postsecondary institutions have been required by federal law to make a good-faith effort to distribute voter registration forms to all of their on-campus degree or certificate-seeking students. This requirement may now be met by providing access to the forms electronically through an email message devoted exclusively to voter registration.

Election Day voter registration deadlines run from October 7 through November 2. NAICU recommends members send out a dedicated voter registration message far in advance to ensure students and others have ample opportunity to register prior to the state deadlines.

The Your Vote, Your Voice 2016 website contains additional resources, including the National Campus Voter Registration Project Organizing handbook; a dedicated voter registration portal, where visitors can register to vote or request absentee ballots; an interactive map illustrating the voter registration deadline for each state; and customizable resources to help institutions promote their registration efforts.

For more information, please contact:
Bo Newsome