A best college for student voting
Mia Rossi,
Northampton Community College (NCC) made the list of Washington Monthly’s 2020 Best Colleges for Student Voting in the nation.
“In everything from protests to registration drives, young Americans have proved that they are committed to making their voices heard in 2020. The stakes of the upcoming election are monumental, and young people will have to live for longer than anyone else with the consequences. They want to participate. It’s imperative that colleges do everything they can to help,” said Daniel Block of Washington Monthly.
The Monthly has several criteria for building their honor roll of colleges across America. The criteria for making the list included active participation and shared data from both the ALL IN and NSLVE programs, including 2018 student voter registration rates and action plans. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a national awards program, recognizes colleges that assist their students in democratic engagement, including voting in elections and supporting causes of value to them. According to the Monthly, “ALL IN has developed a virtual tool kit full of suggestions for how schools can use the internet to bolster registration and turnout during the pandemic.” In order to help colleges analyze the effectiveness of their civic action efforts, The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) at Tufts University collects student registration and voting rates.
“I am excited that NCC is one of the 157 academic institutions that made the list. This is a testament to the college's efforts in instilling democratic values in our students and preparing the next generation of informed and engaged citizens. We look forward to continuing strengthening our community through civic learning and voter engagement,” said NCC’s Director of Center for Civic & Community Engagement, Dr. Stanley Ebede.
For 2020 election information and resources, visit this page.