The University of Michigan is offering several resources for Election Day Tuesday on student polling places through Voice Your Vote and will send text and email reminders to students who register through the University’s Edward Ginsberg Center for student life.
“We believe that social justice comes to fruition when the acquisition of knowledge and the practice of critical reflection culminate in active citizenship,” the Ginsberg Center website states. “Our approach is nonpartisan, and our goal is to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement on campus and in our communities that will spark a lifelong commitment to participation in the democratic process.”
Over the past months, several administrators have stressed the importance of student input in the presidential election.
“I think that it’s exceedingly important to encourage students to participate,” said Cynthia Wilbanks, vice president for government relations, in an October interview.
Last week, E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, sent an email to students reminding them to exercise their right to vote by confirming their polling place and voter identification requirements.
“Your voice in our local, state, and national governance is vital, and I encourage you to cast your vote and make it heard,” Harper wrote.
Harper also encouraged students voting in Ann Arbor to review local ballot proposals before heading to the polls.
“In addition to candidate selections, this election cycle places local issues on the ballot that you will be asked to consider,” Harper wrote. “I encourage you to educate yourselves on the specifics of the local ballot proposals and make an informed decision when casting your vote.”
Two major polling locations for Ann Arbor are on campus — one at the Michigan Union and one at the Michigan League — along with a series of smaller polling places scattered throughout campus and the city for students and residents.