The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) recently recognized UMBC for its nonpartisan democratic engagement efforts that fostered high levels of student voter engagement in the 2022 midterm elections. UMBC received the 2022 America East Campus Votes Highest Registration Rate and a Silver Seal from ALL IN based on the university’s 2022 campus voting rate from its National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) report, reflecting its commitment to ensuring that engagement with democracy is a defining feature of campus life.
UMBC was recognized alongside more than 500 campuses using data from the NSLVE out of Tufts University, which found that colleges and universities had the second-highest voter turnout among students in a midterm election since NSLVE began measuring this data.
“UMBC students are highly engaged in their communities, and our strong voter registration and turnout rates are important ways in which that engagement shows up,” says David Hoffman, Ph.D. ‘13, language, literacy, and culture, director of UMBC’s Center for Democracy and Civic Life. “I’m especially proud that so many student organizations and campus departments are working together to support and expand that culture of engagement. Not everyone is eligible to register to vote, but all of us can help build communities and a society in which everyone can thrive.”
Hoffman adds, “This is timely news, as we are in the midst of working with campus partners to provide resources and events to encourage turnout in Election 2024. The stakes are high, so register and vote if you are eligible!”
“The ALL IN Awards were created to celebrate nonpartisan democratic engagement and the outstanding campus voter registration and turnout rates achieved by our ALL IN campuses. Ahead of the 2024 elections, ALL IN campuses are ready to build on the momentum from 2022 to ensure their communities are ready to make an even bigger impact this fall,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “ALL IN is proud to celebrate and honor top-performing campuses like UMBC, who demonstrate that nonpartisan student voter engagement is possible and effective.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life. More than 1,060 institutions enrolling more than 10 million students participate in the ALL IN. The Center for Democracy and Civic Life hosted ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge leaders at UMBC on August 29 so they could pilot a voter registration workshop directed at staff and student leaders.
Tags: Center for Democracy and Civic Life, Election, LLC
