A nonpartisan committee called MSUVote wants to increase the number of student voters on Michigan State University’s campus. It goes by the slogan “registration, education, participation.”
With the election approaching, the clock is ticking for students to get registered. MSUVote is dedicated to registering Spartans, educating students on issues, and ensuring participation in the community.
The City of East Lansing is predicting a large turnout for this election. Jennifer Shuster, city clerk of East Lansing says, “everyone that is eligible has the right to vote, it is a rewarding feeling knowing we were a part of that process.”
MSUVote partners with the City of East Lansing, League of Women Voters, Michigan Secretary of State, Design for America, Meridian Township, City of Lansing, and The State News. Renee Brown, Director at the Center for Community Engaged Learning, which helps students prepare for a life of “civic and social responsibility in a diverse and complex global society,” is responsible for the development and expansion of community engaged learning.
Michigan State is a part of the B1G Ten Voting Challenge, an effort among universities to raise the number of registered student voters and to get students to the polls. MSUVote promotes this challenge by holding voter registration drives, connecting local clerks to students, registering students at orientation, hosting debates and most importantly encouraging turnout on election day.
Democratic Engagement Coordinator Erin Kramer says, “From the 2018 election to the 2020 election, student voters on MSU’s campus increased by 10,080. Through MSUVote, students are more aware of voting accessibility and have greater education relating to the candidates and the propositions on the ballot.
MSUVote strives for students to know that their voice is heard and wanted. Diverse voices from college campuses have significant impacts on voting and the voting system. For more information regarding MSUVote, visit https://www.msuvote.msu.edu/what-we-do.