Conclusion
Minnesota is a currently a national leader when it comes to student voter participation. This is largely because of outside factors, namely election laws and the culture of civic engagement in Minnesota. If Minnesota is to retain that leadership, higher education institutions will need to be more intentional about civic learning and democratic engagement.
1. Create a Civic Engagement Committee on Each Campus
Bringing students, faculty, and staff together to coordinate civic engagement activities on each campus, including a campus action plan, can institutionalize civic and democratic engagement on each college and university campus. This is considered a best practice from the National Association of Student Affairs Professional Strengthening American Democracy Guide.6
2. Expand Pop-up Early Voting Locations to More College Campuses
Bringing the voting booth to college campuses is one of the best ways to increase the number of students voting. Saint Paul College demonstrated this and there are examples from Florida and Texas with similar results. There should be a coordinated effort to open more locations in 2020.
3. Support Campus-Wide Efforts to Register Students
Minnesota’s same-day registration law is often cited as a reason that higher education institutions do not conduct voter registration drives. However, the data shows that when students register to vote, they vote at higher numbers. With over 11,000 students not registered to vote in 2018, a more robust voter registration effort will empower more students to have their voice heard.
4. Focus on Addressing the Racial Voting Gap
Higher education institutions can do more to support students of color and American Indian students in the voting process. Through more direct outreach to these communities and supporting civic education with student organizations that represent these student communities, campuses can take important steps to address that participation gap.
Higher Education institutions play a critical role as the gardeners of our democracy. It is their job to cultivate democratic engagement in young people and foster political conversations that lead to the type of democracy that we want to have in society. If institutions shy away from this role, it will have a devastating impact on our society and institutions as public trust erodes. More active engagement is the only way that higher education institutions can do more to protect the tree of democracy.