Fair Elections Center: Campus Vote Project

Building civic engagement into the college experience.

The Problem

College students face special challenges when attempting to register and vote in their college communities. They lack information about voter registration rules and deadlines, do not have acceptable ID for voter registration or voting purposes, are confused about where to vote, may not have transportation to the polls, and occasionally are confronted by unfriendly or unsympathetic elections officials or poll workers. In 2011 the situation got worse when state legislatures around the country pursued new laws that sought to limit access to the polls, with particularly damaging effects for student voters.

In the lead-up to the election, many state legislatures have enacted or are considering reforms that will affect the ability of students to register and vote. Some efforts target student voters directly, but most make broader changes that could nonetheless fall hard on student voters.

The Solution

CVP works with universities, community colleges, faculty, students and election officials to reduce barriers to student voting. Our goal is to help campuses institutionalize reforms that empower students with the information they need to register and vote.

Campus Vote Project seeks to address these challenges well in advance of Election Day to pave the way for successful student voter turnout in 2015 and 2016.

Planned Use Of Funds

Funding would go towards funding for our State Coordinators who work with students, administrators, and faculty in our core states; help pay student Democracy Fellows; offset travel expenses for our State Coordinators; and help fund our State Summits, which bring together student and administrative representatives from colleges across targeted states for strategic planning and brainstorming for the coming academic year.

Stage of Development

Early Stage
Established Prototype
Scaling
Other

Organization to Receive Funds

Fair Elections Center is the organization implementing the Campus Vote Project. The Center has been working on election reform for 12 years, previously under the name Fair Elections Legal Network. We have developed experience and provide a unique model of bringing together institutions and individuals to make change.