CC recognized for student voter engagement efforts
Centralia College has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.
The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting designation recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase
nonpartisan student voter participation.
Centralia College joins a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions:
- Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Sharing 2022 National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) Reports with ALL IN
- Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan
- Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.
For several years, CC students have held quarterly voter registration events, promoted the importance of voting on social media and on campus, and provided refreshments and “I Voted” stickers on election days at the on-campus ballot dropbox. Additionally, last month, CC hosted Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs on campus for a free presentation for students and the community.
“At Centralia College, our voter engagement efforts are student-driven,” explained Shelley Bannish, director of Student Life. “Our student government leaders set the goals and do the work to encourage fellow students register and stay engaged in the issues that are meaningful to them. Being an informed voter and participating in elections is a lifelong duty of all Americans, and students need to know they’re part of that.”
CC is one of only six colleges and universities in the state recognized as a 2024 Most Engaged Campus. The others are Clark College, Green River College, Lake Washington Technical College, Whatcom College, University of Washington, and Washington State University.
“The research is clear: colleges and universities that make intentional efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement have higher campus voter registration and voter turnout rates. This year we saw more colleges than ever before step up their efforts to ensure that their students were registered and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”