More Denison students are civically engaged in the election process, thanks to the efforts of DU Votes, a student organization that gives their student peers the information and pathways they need to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and make sure their vote makes it to the ballot box.

These efforts by DU Votes, organized by seniors Tait Ferguson and Ben Rumsfeld; Jess Cohen ’25, Jacob Lukas ’24, and Anthony Hartwick ’25; and Denison staff Emily Vermillion and Katie McKenney, have led to Denison’s recognition as a Voter Friendly Campus by NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and the Campus Vote Project.

In addition to answering questions —such as “Am I eligible to vote?”, “What are my state’s requirements for voting?”, and “How do I vote by mail/absentee ballot?” — DU Votes holds events including faculty panels, student-run discussions on issues and candidates, educational publicity campaigns, and other collaborations.

“We want to make sure that students not only vote, but that they feel as if they can make an educated decision on (or before) election day,” Ferguson said. “As a non-partisan organization, we want to encourage varying perspectives on a range of issues and candidates.”

March 31, 2023