University of Baltimore sets the mark for student voter turnout
BALTIMORE -- The University of Baltimore (UBalt) is nationally recognized for its high student and young voter turnout. The university's work in student voter engagement and participation is among the most recognized in the nation.
So, how do they do it? Through student participation, according to university leaders.
Takamira "Tak" Williams is what you call an active student leader, especially during election season.
"I just know how important it is to get the youth out and only to vote in major elections, like this year, but also at a local level where it affects your community," said Takamira "Tak" Williams, an Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Student Fellow and senior at the University of Baltimore.
Gold Seal for campus voting rate
UBalt earned a Gold Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for its 2022 campus voting rate of 45.3% in the 2022 midterm election (compared to a 30.6% rate for all institutions, nationwide). The university again earned a similar award in 2020 for its campus voting rate of 72.6% in the 2020 presidential election (compared to 66% rate for all institutions nationwide).
"We also really try to explain that voting and political engagement is not just about the election but it is about what you can do beyond voting," said Anthony Butler, the director of the Rosenberg Center for Engagement and Inclusion at the University of Baltimore.
Impacting young voters
The university credits its student leaders for impacting other young voters.
"It is about getting involved whether it's through PTA, a neighborhood association or really working in hyper-local ways around your community," Butler said.
Williams said civic engagement goes beyond campus and is rooted in community.
"It affects your everyday life," Williams said. "The fact that we have faculty that really supports and are really hands-on in making sure that the students have programs, services and activities that they can be a part of."
"So we start with voting and we want to move beyond voting into other ways you can work as a citizen to create change in your community locally and nationally," Butler added. "And so we are really ramping up our outreach to try and get more students to understand how important it is to become a poll worker, the importance of service in that way and being a part of the election process."
And it all begins with one student— a leader recognizing one voice, and every vote matters.
"And you actually see that it opens up the room, an environment to various and diverse options and ideas," Williams said.
"Dine and Debate"
Williams, a Baltimore native and a student at the University of Baltimore, shows her peers the meaning of the power of the polls.
She helps organize "Dine and Debate," a signature program in partnership with a UBalt faculty member and a national organization to foster constructive dialogue on campus.
"You want to make it engaging," Williams said. "You want to make it exciting. And I know how it can sometimes be hard to do but you have to get creative."
UBalt Votes' Outreach and engagement ahead of election day is in partnership with the Andrew Goodman Foundation, Voter Friendly Campus, and others. You can learn more by visiting this website.
