After a new Michigan law passed allowing for multi-day early voting, this student engagement initiative aimed to promote student voter turnout on Michigan State's (MSU's) campus. As a leading public university, MSU prioritized ensuring its 50,000 students had access to resources and opportunities to cast their votes—making the communications outreach essential. This outreach was done through robust internal and external communications. Content included a main MSUvote website, as well as a landing page on MSU’s news website MSUToday, with various stories to provide voting information, particularly about the early voting center. This information was also sent through email to staff and students on multiple occasions and shared on a university podcast. Social media posts about voting got high engagement. Media coverage was pursued to promote voting. The city of East Lansing had record turnout. Specific to MSU’s campus, 3,982 voters, almost all students, voted at either the early voter center, which also operated on Election Day, or additional campus precincts. Among campus precincts, the voting rate for those ages 18 to 21 exceeded 80%. Nationally, The All In for Campus Democracy Challenge recognized MSU as a “Most Engaged Campus” with a “Highly Established Action Plan.”
From the Judges
The results speak for themselves! This engagement campaign is timely, cost-effective, impactful, and able to be replicated at other schools. It captured the attention of its community, the student body, and the press. The program was practical, relying on internal resources, and it shows potential for longevity.
