Bellarmine is one of 234 universities in the nation鈥攁nd one of only two in Kentucky鈥攖o
be named a 鈥淰oter Friendly Campus鈥� for making great strides in voter education and
engagement despite the hurdles posed by a global pandemic.
To receive the designation, which was begun in 2016 by Campus Vote Project and NASPA-Student
Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, universities must submit a report of their
civic engagement work and results in the most recent general election cycle and make
an action plan for upcoming years.
鈥淭his is a celebration of all the work Bellarmine faculty, staff and students have
done to encourage voter registration and voter turnout,鈥� said Madison Martin, the
interim assistant director of Student Activities, who led Bellarmine鈥檚 engagement
efforts. 鈥淎s one of only two schools in Kentucky with this designation [Centre College
was the other], it assures me that the work we are doing sets us apart from other
institutions and that we are setting our students up for a lifetime of civic engagement.鈥�
Bellarmine鈥檚 Student Activities Center is the hub of the university鈥檚 civic learning
and voter engagement efforts. Because of COVID-19 limitations and the resulting hybrid
learning environment, the SAC made greater use of social media and online platforms
to share information, Martin said.
Voter registration drives were held in person and online throughout the Fall 2020
semester. A dedicated website provided important dates and registration information. During the week of National
Voter Registration Day (Sept. 22), a campus-wide email to all students reminded them
to register and provided information on how to do so.
On Election Day, the president鈥檚 office sent an email encouraging students to vote.
The SAC held its annual Get to the Polls party, handing out "I Am A Voter" T-shirts,
cookies, stickers and other items. Public Safety provided shuttles to polling places.
Nationally, youth turnout (ages 18 to 29) in the 2020 presidential election was much
higher than in 2016, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic
Learning and Engagement: 52 to 55 percent of those eligible voted, compared to 42
to 44 percent in 2016.
鈥淲e saw the highest turnout ever for an election in this country in 2020, in spite
of unprecedented obstacles from the global pandemic, a mix of remote and hybrid learning
across campuses, along with the most election law changes across the country in a
six- month period in my lifetime, all at a time of extreme political polarization
and social unrest,鈥� said Campus Vote Project National Director Mike Burns. 鈥淭hrough
the Voter Friendly Campus program, we know that hundreds of colleges and universities
were crucial in making sure that millions of student voters had the nonpartisan information
and support they need to navigate these changes and successfully have their voices
heard up and down the ballot.鈥�
Bellarmine was also named a Voter Friendly Campus in 2016. The current designation
is valid through December 2022.