MSU recognized as 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting
Contact: Brock Turnipseed
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The initiative recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. MSU joins a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions:
- Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
- Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
- Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.
“Mississippi State is proud to be included in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge,” MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said. “As an institution that values student engagement and active citizenship, we are encouraged by the ways in which our students proactively engaged in voter registration efforts this election season. We are equally as proud for the meaningful dialogue between students and student organizations that helped them be informed about the candidates and the candidates’ positions on the issues.”
The Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk’s Office hosted voter registration training, and various student organizations held voter registration drives from August through October.
MSU also hosted a screening of the documentary “No Time to Fail” as well as “Your Vote Matters: A Discussion with Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson.”
The MSU Student Association and Division of Student Affairs provided notary services for students to get absentee ballots notarized and distributed voter registration and absentee voter information through student social media channels.
On Election Day, MSU provided bus transportation to local polling places in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
“The research is clear: colleges and universities that make intentional efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement have higher campus voter registration and voter turnout rates. This year we saw more colleges than ever before step up their efforts to ensure that their students were registered and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning and voter participation on their campus. The challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.