Campus Engagement Toolkit

Your vote is your voice

Did you know that Gen Z will represent around 20% of the electorate during the 2022 midterm elections? Young Americans have the power to determine the future of this country. 

Let's #IGNITEtheVote on your college campus! This toolkit includes everything you need, including ideas and a step-by-step guide on how to engage your campus with voter registration and turn out the vote on election day. 

Voter Registration Resources 

register to vote-1
check your status-1
request your ballot-1
find your polling place-1

Ideas for campus events

In-person tabling

You know your community best – when and where are young people most likely to hang out, walk by, or be waiting in a line? Be creative! Some suggestions:
  •  People are most likely to register when they’re killing time as they wait in line at a sporting event, concert, bar, lunch line, etc.
  • Set up a table in a high-traffic area: think libraries, entrance/exit of campuses, cafeterias, grocery stores, and campus events.

Once you know where you want to hold your registration drive, be sure to get permission from any venue or store you’d like to set up at.

Try to get your supplies together in advance in order to have a streamlined and fun registration drive. Here are some things you’ll need:

  • Voter registration forms
  • Clipboards
  • Lots of black/blue pens – you’ll probably need more than you think!
  • Envelope or box for completed forms
  • A table
  • Chairs
  • Posters, banners, and signs
register voters

Other ideas to engage your campus

Host a text banking event: Plan a Zoom text bank. Gather a list of contacts, draft a simple script, hop on Zoom, and reach out to our contacts to encourage them to register to vote.

Add the voter registration link to the end of your email signature: Think about all the emails you send. Are the recipients registered to vote? Add your registration link to your email signature to get those around you registered!

Share on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, etc.: Make a post on your social media about registering to vote. Tag friends and challenge them to register or check their registration status.

Five steps to host a campus event 

Step 1: Research

Know the voter registration rules in your state. Voter registration laws vary by state, so it’s important to be well-versed about the rules and regulations. Be sure to check out your state’s rules– some states have training requirements, others require you to register the drive with the state, and more.

Get registration forms. Typically, you can download your state’s voter registration form from your Secretary of State’s website. If your state allows for online voter registration, bring a computer or tablet and make sure you have a wifi connection. 

Campus Engagement Toolkit step 1 vote

Step 2: Build your base

Start within your network - leverage existing relationships such as friends, neighbors and colleagues. Friends are the best messengers, whether you are convincing someone to donate, volunteer, support a cause, or vote.
  • Identify key people to get in touch with who align with this work
  • Reach out via email, text, social media, phone call, etc.
  • Follow up with them
  • Maintain a relationship
Broaden your reach - engage other campus organizations/clubs. Create a plan for your community to drop in on club meetings meetings over zoom or in person, to discuss the campaign and how they can get involved. Distribute swag and flyers if you want.
Campus Engagement Toolkit step 2

Step 3: Engage educators and other organizations

Here are some ways to engage your professors and campus staff to get them involved with your voter registration event.
  • Ask them to post and distribute flyers in classrooms.
  • Ask them to share IGNITE's voter registration page via email.  
  • Encourage them to offer extra credit or another form of incentive for students to participate in #IGNITEtheVote voter registration or voter engagement events.
Campus Engagement Toolkit step 4 vote

Step 4: Advertise your event

Use social media to promote the event. Pro-tip: Post at least two weeks in advance of the event and set up reminders to your friends and campus community to remind them.

Engage the wider campus community. Go back to your professors and ask them to share the event with their class via email, in the class and the online course page. 

Partner with other on-campus organizations. Ask campus clubs and organization leaders to share the event with their communities.
Campus Engagement Toolkit step 3 vote

Step 5: Celebrate & evaluate your event

Tell IGNITE how your event went! Complete this form to report on the success and impact of your campus event. 

Campus Engagement Toolkit step 5 vote

Thank you for helping register and mobilize voters across America.

More on voting

We need you to make a plan to vote

We need you to make a plan to vote

--

Unless you're living under a rock, you've probably been hearing a lot about making a plan to vote.  Keep reading.

Convincing the Non-Voter: Listen and Reframe

Convincing the Non-Voter: Listen and Reframe

--

Just as voting has the power to reshape our country with each election, so does not voting. Keep reading.

Mistakes That Can Disqualify Your Ballot

Mistakes That Can Disqualify Your Ballot

--

A recent analysis found that more than 558,000 presidential primary election ballots were rejected because of mistakes. Keep reading.

My vote doesn’t matter: falsehoods about voting

My vote doesn’t matter: falsehoods about voting

--

Your vote does matter! There is no way to say that loudly enough. Keep reading.

Why everyone is talking about the Gen Z vote

Why everyone is talking about the Gen Z vote

--

We all heard this statistic after the 2016 election: 52% of white women voted for Trump. Yet all the candidates are ignoring a vital demographic: new voters. Keep reading.

The impact of your vote on healthcare

The impact of your vote on healthcare

--

Many studies and polls place healthcare as the #1 or #2 concern for American voters in this election.  Keep reading.

The impact of your vote on racial inequality

The impact of your vote on racial inequality

--

Systemic racism - something that has plagued our country for centuries - has been on full display in 2020. Keep reading.

The impact of your vote on climate change

The impact of your vote on climate change

--

The science and economics are in. Scientists from a variety of disciplines agree that the Earth’s climate is changing and it’s likely due to us humans. Keep reading.

Pledge to Vote