Promoting Democracy with Carolina Votes

"The 18-24 age group has traditionally had the lowest rates of voter turnout and engagement in the democratic process. A goal of the Carolina Votes initiative is to provide the Carolina community with the tools they need to be informed and engaged participants in American democracy"

--Jason Roberts, Promote Democracy captain and political science professor, as quoted in The Well

The first objective in the Promote Democracy initiative of the University’s strategic plan, Carolina Next, is to “Actively engage as diverse citizens responsible for the institutions of American democracy.” Staff, faculty and students are doing that through Carolina Votes, a robust effort to coordinate with campus partners on voter registration and voter education.

Sam Hiner, a sophomore public policy major, leads voter engagement activities on campus as a member of the student-led Civic Engagement Working Group. Until a few months ago, Hiner wondered: Where can I see Carolina’s commitment to voter engagement?

He and other students were pleased to learn that the commitment has top billing in Carolina Next. They and others are turning the commitment into action through the University’s increasing activities and programs to register and educate voters.

Promote Democracy begins with a focus on students: “As a leading global, public research university, we play a key role in the exchange of ideas and the education of informed citizens.” That portion ends by confirming “Carolina’s pledge to support and improve democratic citizenship in the state, the nation and around the globe.”

“The 18-24 age group has traditionally had the lowest rates of voter turnout and engagement in the democratic process. A goal of the Carolina Votes initiative is to provide the Carolina community with the tools they need to be informed and engaged participants in American democracy,” said Jason Roberts, the Promote Democracy captain and a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ political science department.

Carolina Votes co-leads are Ryan Nilsen, senior program officer for community engagement at the Carolina Center for Public Service, and Bobby Kunstman, the Carolina Union’s director of Student Life and Leadership. They convene a group of administrators and faculty focused on election engagement, Nilsen said.

“Historically, with UNC’s strong emphasis on student leadership, student activists and student governance, students drove a lot of the voter registration and engagement work. In recent years, different offices around campus have seen how that falls short at points and have started to take more aspects of that on within their purview,” Nilsen said. “The benefit of Carolina Next specifically naming it as a priority gives us a reason to meet regularly and organize so that we aren’t doing the same things in different places or leaving big holes.”