The ongoing U.S. elections represent an important opportunity for students to raise their voices as informed participants in the democratic process. The Center for Community Engagement (CCE), alongside its student group, Committee for Political Engagement (CPE), has partnered with other campus departments to organize programming and resources to support students in the voting process.
Most notably, the University’s TurboVote portal assists users with registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots, and even allows students to sign up to receive reminders of deadlines for these activities, whether they choose to register at their campus address or their home address. Voters must pay attention to deadlines for mailing absentee ballots to ensure they arrive on time.
Regardless of where they cast their ballot, students can learn about the candidates and propositions on the ballot through websites such as Ballotpedia. While the presidential race has dominated headlines, other offices on the ballot will determine control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, not to mention state legislatures and various ballot measures or propositions.
For those registered in New York State, early voting started on Saturday, Oct. 26 and will continue through Sunday, Nov. 3. For those registered in Rochester (or Monroe County), we are fortunate to have an early voting site adjacent to campus this year at the Staybridge Suites Hotel (1000 Genesee Street).
The Center for Community Engagement will lead “Strolls to the Polls” on Saturday, Nov. 2, and Sunday, Nov. 3, at 3 p.m. The strolls will leave from the Campus Information Center in Wilson Commons and give students an opportunity to travel to the early-voting site in groups.
Students registered on campus can also vote in person on Election Day at Plymouth Gardens, a senior citizen apartment complex located right next to the bridge that connects campus to the 19th Ward. Details are available from the Monroe County Board of Elections. The Center will offer rides to polling sites on Election Day at 2 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m., as well as an Election Night viewing party from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Rettner Hall atrium.
Since 2012, the University has participated in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), based at Tufts University. This study provides data about our voting registration and participation rates for even-year election cycles. In the last presidential election cycle in 2020 — early in the pandemic — nearly 83% of students at the University registered to vote and more than two-thirds of students cast their ballots. I hope that we will exceed those rates this year.
Research related to NSLVE has shown that the campuses with the best voting rates have one thing in common: They have a campus climate that fosters not only participation in elections, but open and respectful discussion of important societal issues across campus — in the classroom, in the residence halls, on the quad, in dining halls, and beyond.
The nature of such a climate can take various forms: exploratory conversations, research, debate, civil disobedience, community engagement, and more. It is open to diverse and sometimes conflicting opinions, and it navigates that conflict with civility. Such a climate is inclusive: This is not just the work of students majoring in political science or active in student organizations focused on politics, but should involve students of all majors, interests, and backgrounds — especially those who have historically been disenfranchised — and even international students, who bring a comparative perspective.
Creating an engaged campus climate counters feelings of apathy with intellectual curiosity; it fosters a sense of empowerment that students can and should inform themselves about the crucial issues of our day and together seek solutions.
CCE supports the development of just such a climate through its programs and services, including the Wilson Day of Engagement, to the Rochester Urban Fellows summer program, to the full-year Rochester Youth Year fellowship, to our community-engaged employment programs, to the certificate of achievement in community-engaged learning.
We create a climate of engagement in partnership with other campus departments as well as community organizations. At the center of an engaged campus climate is an informed and active student body.
Learning these arts of civic life is a vital aspect of the student experience at the University. Through civic engagement, students form lifelong habits for public leadership. These will serve them — and society — well as they contribute to the public good through leadership positions, whether in the public or private sector, with responsibility to make critical decisions that will make the world ever better. That future starts today with your voice and your vote.
In community,
Glenn Cerosaletti ’91, ’03 (MA)
Assistant Dean & Director, Center for Community Engagement
