Providing a Path for Students to Utilize Their Right

According to Campus Vote Project, “in 2008, nearly 1.7 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 were not registered to vote and only 17% of 18 to 24-year-olds cast a ballot in the 2014 elections” (2016).  These alarming statistics highlight the need for young adults to have adequate resources and avenues to register to vote on time.  Providing adequate resources and creating avenues fosters a sense of inclusion and importance for why young adults should partake in the democratic process.

The values and goals of Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) aligns with the sentiment that students should actively participate in the democratic process, with the help of professional staff members.   BMCC created and implemented new methods of engagement. For the first time, BMCC’s Office of Student Activities (OSA) became a centralized location for student voter registration.  BMCC advertised the centralized location through various outlets such as social media, voter registration drives and collaborating with other departments. In an effort to promote and streamline democratic engagement efforts on campus, students completed their voter registration form at OSA and had it reviewed by a professional staff member for errors.  OSA mailed out all voter registration forms by the state deadline.  Students who preferred to complete and mail out the forms on their own accord received a voter registration packet. All voter registration packets included a voter registration form, a brochure on voter resources and a sample instructional voter registration guide. The instructional voter registration guide was a new initiative created to prevent attrition and decrease inaccuracies.  It demonstrated all the necessary instructions for each mandatory question. Based on former student voter registration errors, certain questions and instructions were highlighted and intentionally bolded.

BMCC is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) comprised of 24 institutions, where all CUNY students use a centralized software system called CUNYFirst. CUNYFirst allows students to register for classes, review their grades and financial aid. As a brand new initiative, CUNY allowed students to register to vote through their CUNYFirst system. The system prepopulated student demographic information and prompted them to print and mail their form.  This is another method for students to register to vote while ensuring that their information is accurate and legible.  BMCC is striving to find and implement new and creative ways for students to partake in the democratic process. BMCC wants to ensure that all students have the most up to date and precise information, sources and facts regarding voter registration.  Voter registration is more than completing forms; it is providing a path for students to utilize their right and voice as young citizens.

Http://campusvoteproject.org/author/admin/. "Why Student Voters Matter." Campus Vote Project. N.p., 27 Sept. 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.