Campus Election Engagement Project

State budget bill includes amendment aimed at college student voters

April 25, 2013 news:  An amendment added to the Ohio House version of the state budget bill (Sub H.B. 59)  would require state universities to charge in-state tuition if they provide an out-of-state student with a letter or utility bill that the student can use to show residency and vote in Ohio. The bill is currently before the Ohio Senate.

Out-of-state students can legally vote in Ohio if they’ve been in the state at least 30 days before the election. But because student IDs aren’t accepted as identification at the polls, students in the last election used utility bills, which were considered acceptable forms of identification as per the Ohio Secretary of State’s voting guide–to establish their eligibility, which a number of universities provided to their students.

Supporters of the amendment claim it will reduce tuition costs for students.  Meanwhile, university officials decry the potential loss of more than $100 million in tuition payments and voting rights activists denounce it as an effort to suppress student voting.

Related stories & info:

 

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Campus Election Engagement Project Hiring Virginia Project Director

The Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) works to help America’s colleges and universities get as many of their 20 million students as possible to register, volunteer in campaigns, educate themselves on issues and candidates, and show up at the polls. Our non-partisan engagement project had a major impact in 2008 and 2012 and is now addressing major off-year elections, beginning this year with Virginia’s state-wide elections. We’re currently recruiting a Virginia Outreach Director, to work with CEEP’s founder, Soul of a Citizenauthor Paul Loeb, and Senior Consultant Jonathan Romm to help engage Virginia schools, while being based in either Virginia or DC.

If you are interested in joining the CEEP team, please email Jonathan Romm (staff@campuselect.org) for a full job description or to send  your resume and cover letter.  Thanks for your interest in this opportunity. Only applicants short-listed for an interview will be contacted. CEEP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Congratulations Ohio campuses! “Young voters (under 30) defied predictions by claiming a higher share of total turnout in 2012 (19%) than in 2008 (18%).”

~From Nonprofit Vote, download the full report from their website

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Latest and Greatest Election Engagement Resources

 

Mobile Apps

Connect with Obama here.

Connect with Romney here for Apple devices and here for Android devices.

 

 

New Ideas to Engage Students

Host an Election Prediction contest, from Wittenberg University

 

Ohio Campus Compact is proud to lead our state’s Campus Election Engagement Project. CEEP is a nonpartisan effort to help colleges and universities involve students in the election, working primarily through the state affiliates of Campus Compact and other partners like Youth Service America.  They worked with 500 campuses to engage America’s 20 million students in the 2008 elections. Click here for CEEP’s engagement resources.

 

 

Drawing on their 2008 experience, CEEP has compiled a list of six effective nonpartisan approaches that colleges anduniversities can use to engage theirstudents. Click here to download this comprehensive guide.

The six key areas include:

  • (1) Building a team
  • (2) Registering students to vote
  • (3) Educating on issues and candidates
  • (4) Encouraging students to volunteer
  • (5) Creating visibility
  • (6) Getting out the vote

 

 

Ohio CEEP Wiki – We’ve created a  Wiki site for resource and knowledge sharing. Please visit here and request access to comment and add information to our pages.

How can students change the outcome of elections?

The official Florida margin in 2000 was 537 votes, in New Mexico 368 votes, and the margin in the 2004 Washington State Governor’s race, 129 votes. Every vote does count!

Don’t forget to vote November 6, 2012!

VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS

On Election Day, you must present (1) a driver’s license, (2) a state ID, or (3) a copy of one of the following that shows your current address: utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, government check, or government document.

Acceptable ID includes any of the following:

  • Current and valid photo identification issued by the federal government or the State of Ohio. This form of ID will be accepted even if the address does not match the address on the voter’s registration;
  • Military identification that shows the voter’s name;

Or

  • A copy of a current utility bill (including a cell phone bill), bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document (including those issued by a public college or university) that shows the voter’s name and current address other than a notice of an election or a voter registration notification sent by a Board of Elections.

 

IDs issued by a college or university is not accepted as valid ID for voter eligibility. However, public universities can provide legal ID by issuing a letter from the president or chancellor confirming the enrollment of their students and private colleges and universities can do the same by issuing a zero-balance utility bill to students living on campus.

 

ABSENTEE VOTING

Ohio is a no-fault absentee state—you do not need to give a reason for voting absentee. Your application to get an absentee ballot must include either your Ohio driver’s license number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or a copy of a form of identification that would be accepted at the polls on Election Day.

Blank applications are available on the website of the Secretary of State.  If you mail it in, your application must be received by the county director of elections by noon on the third day before the election; if you deliver your application in person you must do so prior to the close of business the day before the election.

Your ballot must be delivered to the director of elections by the close of the polls on Election Day. If you return your ballot by mail, it will be accepted up to ten days after the election, as long as it is signed or postmarked before Election Day. Neither your application nor your ballot needs to be witnessed.

Visit here for resources for students voting absentee outside of Ohio.

Resources

Register your campus on the Campus Vote Map for resource sharing, networking and to help encourage student voting.

“The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, has fought since 1920 to improve U.S. systems of government and impact public policies through education and advocacy. The League’s enduring vitality and resonance comes from its grassroots nature, with members operating at the national, state, and local levels working towards the goal of ‘making democracy work.’ There are Leagues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hong Kong, in addition to the hundreds of local Leagues nationwide.” Click here for Ohio-specific information and guidelines.

 

“The Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN) is a national, nonpartisan advocacy organization whose mission is to remove barriers to registration and voting fortraditionally underrepresented constituencies and improve overall election administration through administrative, legal, and legislative reform as well as provide legal and technical assistance to voter mobilization organizations.” Click here for Ohio-specific information and guidelines.


“Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America’s nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are the leading source of nonpartisan resources to helpnonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services.” Click here for Ohio-specific information and guidelines.

 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON VOTING IN OHIO

Full information on Ohio’s voting laws and procedures is available at the Secretary of State website.

Good compilations of information for voters can be found at the web sites of

Fair Elections Legal Network - Ohio specific information

Vote411.org - Ohio specific information

Brennan Center for Justice – Ohio specific information

OhioVOTES

Nonprofit Vote - Ohio specific information

Information from each of these sites was used in compiling the above summary.

 Please visit our Wiki site for more information and tons of resources.

Great ideas we’ve heard this year

Ashland University

Plans to buy Tom’s nonpartisan VOTE shoes to help promote voting on campus. Definitely a conversation starter!

Columbus State Community College

Check out CSCC’s list of events here!

Denison University

Plans to have registration tables in their commons area during a certain 2-week time period. The tables will be staffed by students who have been trained to correctly fill out a voter registration form, and will be assisting students to register to vote. They also plan to have a mock ballot machine on site, so that new voters can practice for election day. We think that having students actually try out a machine will encourage and even excite them to get to the polls!

Marietta College

Education

1) Politics Basics Workshop by political science faculty

2) Student Debate

3) Presidential Debate Viewing – Dems, Rep, Common Sense Groups (Oct. 3)

4) Community Event (bringing candidates in) – working with the League of Women Voters

5) Education for seniors since they are entering the real world soon, and this year may be the first time they’re voting

Voter Registration

1) Voter registration information distributed at Orientation

2) College Democrats, College Republicans, and College Students for Common Sense register people to vote at all of their events

3) Reach out to athletic program participants through coaches

4) Reach out to local community by being present at sports games (maybe through student groups)

5) FYE Voter Registration Drive with all 25 courses (all first year students)

Publicity

1) Create marketing materials to hang around campus (MC Rocks the Vote)

2) Utilize social media to spread word including website

3) Utilize community newspapers and radio to spread work about community event

4) Put something prominent on website about voter registration

General

Invent a catchy name for your voter mobilization team or office, such as Denison Votes or OSU Votes etc., so it’s clear what the team’s goals are.

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Contact Brenna Limbrick for questions regarding Ohio’s CEEP.