Ahead of the 2024 General Election on November 5, the California State University is making an effort to inspire students, staff, faculty and the surrounding community to be informed voters.
To increase student voter engagement, the 23 universities in the CSU system have hosted voter registration tables and information sessions on voting rights and processes, launched social media campaigns and websites, and designed and distributed election outreach materials, among other efforts.
They have also taken part in state and national voter campaigns like National Voter Registration Day in September, National Voter Education Week in October and the
California University and College Ballot Bowl, held by the California Secretary of State's Office, in which California universities compete to register the most student voters.
Thanks to Ballot Bowl activities, CSUs helped more than 5,400 students register in 2022—the most recent past competition—and they have helped more than 12,500 students register to vote in the 2024 General Election as of October 25. The 2024 competition will conclude on November 5.
Campuses also participate in the
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN), a national awards program that recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate a commitment to increasing student voting rates. In fact, Chico, Long Beach, Northridge, Sacramento and San Marcos were named among the “Most Engaged Campuses" for 2022.
In addition to these voter registration efforts, civic engagement education and involvement is a key theme all year long, aligning with one of CSU Chancellor Mildred García's priorities for the university to prepare civically engaged students with a global viewpoint.
Each CSU has created a Civic and Voter Empowerment Plan to increase student voter engagement—as required by the Student and Civic Empowerment Act—and designated a coordinator to implement the plan, with support from the CSU Chancellor's Office.
Access to voting locations and voter information is of utmost importance to the CSU, as well. Each of the CSU's 23 universities will host
voting locations ranging from ballot drop boxes to polling locations or vote centers for the November 2024 General Election. These offer students, and community members, an easy way to make their voices heard.
At
CSU Bakersfield, for example, around 1,200 ballots have already been dropped off at the campus's ballot drop box as of October 29, with many more expected to come in over the next few days. CSUB's ballot box ranks No. 5 in usage out of all ballot boxes located in Kern County, according to CSUB's Associated Students Inc.
Getting the Word Out
To reach students and community members directly to ensure they are informed about the upcoming election, campuses have partnered with CSU Centers for Community Engagement, Offices of Government and Community Relations and various CSU institutes, initiatives and programs to conduct outreach efforts.
Sacramento State's Project for an Informed Electorate (PIE) hosted an Initiative Explainer on October 16, for example, which featured nonpartisan expertise from the Legislative Analyst's Office to help voters understand the 10 statewide initiatives on the November 5 ballot.
The event was just the latest voter-education effort from PIE, which Sacramento State Political Science Professor Kim Nalder—who also serves as PIE's director—launched in 2011 to provide accurate, nonpartisan information to voters through academic research and public events.
“There is a firehose of news content, and so much misinformation and disinformation out there that is so tough to sort through,"
Nalder said. “This is an incredibly useful tool for folks who want solid information that's trustworthy, that they know isn't biased.".jfif)
Sacramento State social work students helped unhoused individuals cast their votes.
And, in partnership with the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, Sacramento State social work students helped people who are without permanent housing cast their votes in the upcoming general election. The group organized several educational events and voter registration sessions at homeless shelters and other locations.
Sonoma State's Center for Community Engagement announced this fall a dynamic series of nonpartisan, election-related events designed to foster civic participation and education across the campus and the wider community in collaboration with various campus departments and the League of Women Voters of Sonoma County. The “It Matters!" program aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and enthusiasm necessary to actively participate in the electoral process.
Events included voter registration tabling, a panel discussion featuring SSU faculty experts on recent domestic and geopolitical events, and hybrid virtual/in-person discussions on topics like “The Latinx Community and Voting" and “Shaping Perceptions: The Role of AI in the Spread of Misinformation."
CSUN's
Act Now (CAN) Campus Team sponsored several events this fall to engage students in civic and democratic engagement, including a vice-presidential candidate debate watch party. The team also hosted a “Democracy in Action: A Candidate Discussion" event, which featured the candidates running for the California Assembly District 40 seat, allowing attendees to get to know the individuals hoping to represent the CSUN community.
CSUN, like many other CSUs, also published a
voter guide to educate students and community members on the voting process, how to register to vote, important dates and deadlines and more.
Cal State Fullerton has a robust "Titans Turn Out" website where students and community members can find information related to the General Election, including on why voting matters and the impact of certain ballot measures.
Additionally, CSUF Assistant Professor of Secondary Education William Toledo is teaching future educators how to engage in civic thinking and political conversations with students—an effort that will resonate beyond the General Election. Toledo says that showing students how to identify biases and inaccuracies empowers them to responsibly participate in civic life.
“Our democracy is hanging in the balance, and for our democracy to continue and thrive, we as citizens and teacher educators must make sure that our future teachers can engage students in authentic, productive and meaningful civic discourse in classrooms,"
Toledo said.
Cal State LA held a "Voter Fest 2024: The Art of Civic Engagement" event on October 22 to underscore the power of voting. The arts-focused festival brought together campus organizations, student clubs, faculty and community groups to participate in hands-on, civic-themed activities and included three key projects: Zine Voter Guides, PSA Film Challenge, and a poster symposium titled “Re-imagine your Campus with the Center for Urban Ecology.”
As part of efforts to get more Spanish-speaking voters to the polls, three Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students partnered with the San Luis Obispo County clerk-recorder's office and several nonprofits to get in touch with community members. The group held workshops for Latinx voters, touching on the importance of voting, and covered ballot measures..png)
The two winning designs from SF State's "I Voted" sticker contest.
Many CSUs also came up with creative ways to engage students in the voting process, like San Francisco State, which held an
"I Voted" sticker contest as part of the campuswide
Gator Votes initiative. The two winning designs—by SF State students Suhey Linares and Téa Bishop—will be distributed to all students who vote at the on-campus polling station during this upcoming General Election.
Cal Poly Pomona dining locations across the campus are distributing an exclusive "Vote Billy" coffee sleeve, adorned with CPP's mascot, encouraging the community to register to vote and visit the campus website for civic engagement and elections.
Additionally, CPP's California Center for Ethics and Policy (CCEP) hosted the biennial Election Fair at the Bronco Student Center on October 10, featuring three speakers, as well as interactions with representatives from political campaigns and groups both supporting and opposing measures and propositions found on the ballot.
Partnering With Student Leaders
Many of the efforts to encourage civic engagement are made possible thanks to a strong partnership between the campuses and members of student government including the
Cal State Student Association (CSSA) and Associated Students.
"The role of the campus is crucial in supporting the Cal State Student Association's mission," says CSSA President Iese Esera. “By fostering an environment that prioritizes student advocacy and community engagement, they empower CSSA to amplify student voices and address the unique needs [of students] across our 23 CSU campuses."
Campus collaboration, Esera says, “provides a foundation for impactful programs and policy changes that champion student success, inclusion and equity, reflecting our commitment to making higher education accessible and responsive to all students."
Cal State Monterey Bay Director of Government and External Relations Nicole Hollingsworth—who has helped to organize voter registration on the campus—says voter registration drives have been much more productive than in past years.
Hollingsworth said that 2024's being a presidential election year likely led to the increase, but she also credited the support of CSUMB's Associated Students (AS), which has been enthusiastic about sponsoring voter registration and informational events.
Among the activities sponsored by CSUMB's AS was a recent forum with CalMatters to inform students about their voting rights and discuss some of California's ballot propositions. Marianne Gawain, copresident of the League of Women Voters of Monterey County, spoke during the session, in which she illustrated the power of casting a ballot, particularly on the local level.
Cal State LA's Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs partnered with the university's Associated Students, Inc. to host a “Burritos and Ballot Measures" event during Voter Education Week. The event brought members of the League of Women Voters of Greater LA and the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office to the campus to provide insight into each ballot measure that will appear on the November ballot and information on the voting process.
And at Cal State Fullerton, Associated Students Inc. and the CSUF Division of Student Affairs teamed up to host an inaugural
Behind the Ballot event on October 24, which featured a discussion by American political analyst Van Jones. Behind the Ballot is an on-campus civic engagement event that aims to inform and educate college students through Q&A dialogue with a political influencer.
Watch a Get Out the Vote PSA to the Latinx community from CSU Chancellor Mildred García.
With elections in the U.S. only taking place every two or four years, the CSU embraces the opportunity during election season to provide students interested in politics or public service with unique hands-on learning experiences. Read about a few of the election-year courses held in 2024.