Brown community members spend National Voter Registration Day helping to turn out the vote
Sweetened by free scoops of ice cream, voter registration drives across campus provided support to hundreds of newly eligible students seeking to participate in November’s elections.
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Members of Brown Votes took to the College Green on National Voter Registration Day in an effort to boost civic engagement ahead of November's elections. Photo by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.
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The team connected with more than 1,000 students throughout the day, offering help with voter registration, absentee and mail-in ballots, and more. Photo by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.
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As part of the event, Brown Votes gave out 500 free scoops of "Churn Out the Vote," a new Ben & Jerry's flavor. Photo courtesy of Brown Votes.
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Informational pamphlets, voter guides and Brown Votes swag were available to anyone who stopped by the event. Photo by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.
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Brown Votes members collected hundreds of voter registration and absentee ballot forms and offered guidance to students who preferred to complete the processes online. Photo courtesy of Brown Votes.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — “Excuse me, are you registered to vote?”
Anyone walking across the Brown University campus on Tuesday, Sept. 17, likely heard those words as students with Brown Votes — a nonpartisan, University-wide initiative committed to cultivating participation in the nation’s democratic process — canvassed the College Green in celebration of National Voter Registration Day.
The offer to register eligible voters was sweetened by free ice cream, which proved a smart move on a warmer-than-usual September afternoon.
In addition to handing out more than 500 scoops of Ben & Jerry’s new “Churn Out the Vote” flavor, volunteers with Brown Votes connected with over 1,000 students, collected hundreds of paper voter registration and absentee ballot request forms, and provided support for students who preferred to complete those processes online.
This is the first presidential election that the majority of students are eligible to vote in, so it’s a particularly important one. Time is ticking, and the election is on its way, so now is the time to get ready.
Rosie Shultz
Brown Votes’ civic engagement media and design fellow
“This is the first presidential election that the majority of students are eligible to vote in, so it’s a particularly important one,” said Rosie Shultz, a sophomore who serves as Brown Votes’ civic engagement media and design fellow. “Time is ticking, and the election is on its way, so now is the time to get ready.”
People register to vote at a voter registration drive held at Brown's School of Public Health. Photo courtesy of SPH.
While the event was tied to National Voter Registration Day, boosting the number of registered voters ahead of November’s elections wasn’t the only goal. Throughout the year, Brown Votes brings together students, faculty and staff, with support from the Swearer Center, and serves as a hub for resource-sharing, communication and coordination. The goal is to ensure that members of the Brown community find opportunities for civic engagement, during election season and beyond.
“We are making sure students know about the absentee ballot process for their home states, making sure they know they have options when it comes to registering in Rhode Island or their home state, and generally informing everyone of engagement opportunities on campus,” Shultz said.
Voter registration efforts were underway across campus on Tuesday, including at Brown’s School of Public Health, where a concurrent registration drive in the lobby yielded 18 new Rhode Island voters. More than 100 attendees connected with event volunteers, who assisted them with voter registration status, finding their polling locations and obtaining mail-in ballot information.
The day’s efforts were among a series of campus opportunities and events to advance civic engagement and collaboration this fall. On Thursday, Sept. 26, Brown faculty and staff will gather for lightning talks that focus on fostering nonpartisan civic engagement during an event co-led by Brown Votes, the Democracy Project and a representative from the Dialogue, Inclusion and Democracy Lab at Providence College.
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