Faculty Toolkit

Did you know that 18-29 year olds have the lowest voter turnout of any age group?

As a faculty member, you are in a powerful position to affect change. By communicating with your students about the importance of voting and pointing them towards resources, you can set them up on a pathway towards lifelong democratic participation. 

4 Steps to Encourage Voting

1. Take a few minutes out of class to promote voting. 

Towards the beginning of the quarter, take 5 minutes at the beginning of class to talk with your students about the importance of voting. Encourage them to register, check their registration, or request an absentee ballot right there, during class. Direct them to https://cele.uw.edu/students/huskies-vote/.

2. Make links available. 

Encourage students to visit https://cele.uw.edu/students/huskies-vote/ by including this link on your Canvas page or on a slide at the beginning of class. You can also direct students to the library's nonpartisan voter information guide: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/elections/informed-news. 

3. Include reminders in your communication. 

In the weeks approaching the election, remind your students verbally and over email to register, update their registration, and/or request an absentee ballot. In Washington this year, online voter registration ends on October 30th. Remind your students of this deadline. 

4. Be a role model. 

Your students look to you for guidence. When election day comes, if you are eligible, vote! Explain to your students why you vote and encourage them to do the same.