2024 is truly the year of elections. With voters in France, Britain, Bangladesh, India and El Salvador having already cast their ballots, we have witnessed firsthand the enormous significance of elections across the globe. From reaffirming authoritarian regimes to throwing out long-reigning parties and applying tremendous pressure on governments to make difficult decisions, they have reshaped the world at large. Come this November, those challenges will appear here in the United States with the presidential and congressional elections.
On the ballot? Two fundamentally diverging visions for the path forward. Whether it’s access to healthcare, the structure of the economy or how America interacts with other countries and their refugees, voters face a crucial decision that will determine policies and government alike for years to come. Student voters, in particular, are set to play a critical role in this election, with the youth vote being more important than ever before. With total graduate and undergraduate enrollment today at around 18.6 million, students constitute an influential voting bloc that can shape election outcomes and forge the future and health of a participatory, equitable and informed democracy.
Yet, while millennials and Gen Z were the largest share of eligible voters in 2020, their lower voting rates have led them to not being the largest share of the electorate between 2020 and 2024. BergVotes understands that voters, particularly students, may not believe their interests are well-represented. That is why BergVotes is here: to push back against such disengagement and improve participation.
From easing the registration process to bringing information about candidate and party positions to students in an easy, accessible and simple format—whether that takes shape through our collaborations with campus departments, increased campus-wide engagement or hosting events centered around the election—the #WhyWeVote campaign aims to be a targeted program to better prepare Muhlenberg’s students, faculty and staff for this pivotal election year. Your input matters here!
What are the issues that matter the most to you? Which candidates do you want to learn more about? Is there a topic you wish more of your friends knew about? Scan this QR code to fill out our form, and for the next few weeks, BergVotes will work together to bring that information to you in a clear, non-partisan and concise way through multiple articles until election day. This is all in hope that by Nov. 5, you’ll have all the information you need to cast an informed vote. Feel free to email us about your queries or get involved at bergvotes@gmail.com!
