Olivia Barton, Special to The Denisonian —
This November, the Bipartisan Policy Center estimated that nearly 244 million Americans will be eligible to vote.
The 2016 and 2020 elections showed a record number of voter turnout, but none of this could have been achieved without organizations fighting the good fight and providing resources for voters or prospective voters.
That is where DU Votes comes in. DU Votes is a non-partisan, on-campus organization whose primary goal is to encourage students on campus to register to vote. They also educate students on the voting process, and increase civic engagement—not only at Denison but within the community of Granville.
DU Votes engages with students in many different ways in order, “to be politically active,” said PPA major Carrie Emerman ‘26. Whether it’s hosting a social event to talk about issues on the ballots or organizing a presidential debate watch party, DU Votes is focused on helping the Denison community have a say in their future.
This is no small feat. Every election is important, whether it’s presidential or local. Voting can be a process that is hard to navigate, especially for first-time voters or out-of-state students.
Emerman pointed out that the last presidential election was during the pandemic, and a lot of current Denison students didn’t have the chance to vote. This means there could be several students who potentially have never even seen a voting registration form.
DU Votes hosts tabling events from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at Slayter. Students are encouraged to come with any questions regarding civic engagement and offer help with voter registration. DU Votes has already helped register many students, even though it’s not as easy as it sounds.
The process of voting can be tricky and technical. This year is the first presidential election where you need the last four digits of your social security number to register. For out-of-state students, registering online is not an option because you need an Ohio driver’s license. Some students don’t know they have to go to DU Votes to get a paper registration to start the voting process, which can lead to a lot of frustration and confusion among students.
“There’s so many moving parts to it,” said Emerman.
Mary Hodgkins, a sophomore studying Politics and Public Affairs and Creative Writing emphasizes that the work is not just local. “We help students register to vote and understand their voting rights in all 50 states, not just Ohio. Our work is focused on campus, but many of our students choose to vote at home via absentee ballots. We’re helping them make a difference in their state and local communities even from afar.”
In 2020, Denison “had a remarkable voter registration record”, said Hodgkins. According to the NSLVE Campus Report, 99.6% of students on campus were registered to vote. While there was a slight decrease in 2022, DU Votes has been making great strides to return to their almost perfect registration rate. Hodgkin added that DU Votes is “hoping to get back up this election cycle.”
With election day arriving so soon, energy and tension are high nationwide. This year, Emerman feels the climate on campus has been relatively calm so far, and this is in part thanks to DU Votes. As a non-partisan organization, DU Votes is an extremely useful resource students can come to no matter their political beliefs or what party they’re affiliated with. In just under two months, Americans will cast their ballot deciding on who will be the next president, but also carving a path for our future. “Our generation is starting to see that we really can have an impact on our country”, said Emerman.
If you happen to miss them in Slayter, the DU Votes Instagram, @duvotes, consistently posts reminders of events happening on campus and provides information on issues appearing on ballots. If you want to get involved with DU Votes, ask about their ambassador program.