On campus, voting is always a very popular topic that is advertised and talked about within the student body. Attending voter registration drives is a great way for students to get involved within the community. Voting as a college student brings a sense of involvement. 

GVSU has been acknowledged by the All In Campus Democracy Challenge with a Silver Seal for the campus voting rate in 2018. GVSU was represented at the Washington, D.C. awards ceremony on Nov. 12 by student Jane Johnston, who also serves as the Campus Vote Project democracy fellow and Community Service Learning Center (CSLC) Civic Engagement Associate.

GVSU continues to hold voter registration drives for students, with the most recent held Nov. 13, hosted by the CSLC on Pew Campus in the DeVos Center with a large turnout of students in attendance. 

“GVSU students have a unique opportunity to impact change in our community,” Johnston said. “Since Grand Valley is publicly funded, our votes could get more money for all the things that GVSU students want to see changed — busing, student wages, food options, tuition.”

Johnston became very involved within the student voter community from having such a big interest in politics, civic engagement and democracy. She began working for the CSLC as a Democracy Fellow last year during the midterm elections. 

“I read recently that our representatives won’t listen to us unless we take it upon ourselves to make our issues heard,” Johnston said. “Voting is one incredibly important way for students to impact change on our campus.”

The next two Voter Registration drives are coming up. The first will be held Wednesday, Nov. 20 from noon to 2 p.m. in DeVos C on Pew Campus. The second will be held Thursday, Nov. 21 from 7-8 p.m. in VanSteeland Living Center on Allendale Campus.