Feature photo from the Sidelines Archive
Story by Hannah Ferreira
Voter registration initiatives on campus, led by the American Democracy Project, had resounding success this year even in the wake of a particularly polarizing election season, and registered over 700 students to vote before the Oct. 7 deadline for the November 2024 election.
The campus chapter of ADP tabled almost every day this semester at various hotspots around campus, including the Honors College lawn, the library, Peck Hall and more.
The goal of ADP throughout the semester was “to foster a more informed and engaged electorate,” according to Vice President and Andrew Goodman Foundation Ambassador Marcus Rosario.
Student volunteers, as well as ADP Graduate Research Assistant Nancy Prescott, constantly assisted students with either checking their voter registration status or filling out a new application. Many students stopped by to chat about the election or asked for more information about things like absentee ballots.
Several student organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Student Government Association, took turns managing the booth for the day, earning service hours and community outreach experience.
In the wake of a presidential election year, it was especially important to members and leaders of ADP to be a strong presence on campus.
In addition to voter registration, ADP and its members featured in the MTSU Homecoming parade, with a golf cart decorated with a theme of “Pony Up to the Polls.”
Rosario said in a statement that “ADP has successfully registered over 500 new voters, marking a significant step toward increasing civic engagement within the community.”
He later clarified that the registration numbers reached over 700 voters, as they were still being tallied at the time of writing the original statement.
The organization was also recognized for having a “Highly Established” action plan by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, with core requirements being a focus on civic learning, political engagement, and student voter participation.
ADP’s faculty advisor Mary Evins was also a prominent figure in other campus activities related to democracy. She was the on-stage facilitator of the “Defining Democracy” event with former Vice President Mike Pence and has been leading the University Honors College Lecture Series on Democracy for the semester.
Despite the voter registration deadline passing, ADP will continue to lead civic engagement and voter education initiatives on campus. They will begin “teaching students about what to expect and how to do their own research on who’s on the ballot,” according to Marcus Rosario, as the Nov. 5 election approaches quickly.
The state and federal general election is on Nov. 5, with early voting beginning Oct. 16 and running until Oct. 31.
Hannah Ferreira is a reporter for MTSU Sidelines.
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