KU recognized as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting

LAWRENCE – On Nov. 19, the University of Kansas was recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. 

KU 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 campus voting data with ALL IN.
• Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN.
• Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.  

“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.”  

Campus and community partners supported a variety of activities to promote civic engagement, including, but not limited to: 

• The Center for Service Learning received an implementation grant from the Ask Every Student program to support student voting outreach and programming efforts. 
• The Commons, Student Engagement Center and Center for Service Learning hosted three voting-related Educate and Act events throughout election season. 
• The Dole Institute of Politics and the Dole Student Advisory Board hosted programs related to the election, including the “Pizza and Politics” series, “Beyond the Ballot” series and a presidential debate watch party, in addition to supporting voter registration and “get out the vote” tabling across the Lawrence campus by the Civic Engagement and Leadership Council. 
• The Douglas County Elections Office placed an early voting location at the Lied Center of Kansas and an Election Day polling place in the Burge Union. 
• KU LEADS and the Student Athlete Advisory Council hosted a voter registration drive in athletics spaces in National Voter Registration Day as part of Big 12 Civic Engagement Week. 
• Legal Services for Students provided notary services for students voting absentee in a state that requires a notarized signature.  
• Loud Light, the Lawrence NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and others maintained a presence on the Lawrence campus through tabling to promote student voter registration and turnout.  

“Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge provides KU with a structure, network and sense of accountability for supporting student civic participation,” said Kate Kemper, education program coordinator in the Center for Service Learning. “The action planning process helps us identify gaps and opportunities, and the seals of recognition for student voter engagement give us an opportunity to reflect and celebrate.”  

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.