With the 2024 election in the rearview mirror, it is time to review student voting turnout and the best initiatives that brought them to the polls. 

Kent State Votes, an Undergraduate Student Government-affiliated and university-wide nonpartisan coalition, led the charge to register student voters and encourage them to voice their opinions. The coalition also worked to provide election and voting information to keep students educated. 

Craig Berger, associate director of Community Engaged Learning and co-chair of Kent State Votes, said he was “impressed” with the early voting data. He also added that comprehensive data won’t arrive until 2025. 

“Initial indicators do tell us that we have the largest turnout in the precincts around campus since 2016,” Berger said. “At this early stage, the turnout met our expectations for this year’s election.” 

Berger also said that Kent State Votes registered an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 students, not including students who registered on their own or at their home addresses outside of Kent. 

There were several initiatives that Kent State Votes used to encourage and inform student voters. The main strategy was to use a peer-to-peer outreach model to directly engage with students. 

“This led to things like presenting to resident assistants at their staff training prior to the fall semester, trying out some different events with various student organizations and working with and engaging athletics,” Berger said. 

Another effective factor was the coalition’s partnership with the League of Women Voters of Kent. Berger said the organization helped with communication resources, election knowledge and staffing. 

“They have a close relationship with the Portage County Board of Elections, so if there was any procedural question that they couldn’t answer, that answer was always right around the corner and easy to get,” he said. “The large number of volunteers that they provided to staff voter registration or information tables throughout the fall semester was really huge for us.” 

In terms of what’s next for Kent State Votes, Berger said the coalition will continue to expand its peer-to-peer approach, work with student organizations and create innovative programming. He also hopes to create more leadership positions and opportunities for students. 

The biggest aspiration for the coalition is to expand its work to regional campuses. 

“This year we’ve made a decision to focus on the Kent campus, mainly because we felt like this year in particular, we had the students on campus and more resources than ever before,” Berger said. “Now we’re ready to move on, and we really need to engage regional campuses and talk about how we can share in a way that broadens the work across the whole region.” 

While Berger considers this election a massive success for Kent State Votes, he hopes the coalition will continue to grow and expand for future election cycles. He’s also hoping to build a legacy of student voting importance at Kent State. 

“Our hope is that we can continue the messaging that most students at Kent State do register to vote, that they do participate and that it’s part of the university’s culture,” he said. “If you want to be a Kent State Golden Flash, one of the things you do is not only vote, but be involved in your community and look for ways that you can influence it.” 

John Engoglia is a beat reporter. Contact him at [email protected].