By Stephanie R. South,  TDC National Coordinator

The Democracy Commitment (TDC) is pleased to announce a new partnership for Engage the Election 2014- a continuance of our first signature initiative, Engage the Election: 2012, that focuses on the midterm elections:

The Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN) is a national nonpartisan voting rights organization dedicated to reducing barriers to voting for traditionally underrepresented constituencies, including students. FELN started Campus Vote Project (CVP) in early 2012 to institutionalize reforms on college campuses that will empower students with the tools they need to register and vote.

Students are often new voters who lack basic information about how and when to register and vote. CVP provides resources to school administrators (presidents, student affairs officers, registrars, service learning programs, etc.) to facilitate programs supporting student registration and voting.

Through this partnership, CVP will work with TDC member institutions to provide the following election resources:

• State guide to student voting
• Student voting information website that includes links to registration forms and information about deadlines, early and absentee voting options, ID requirements, and anything else likely to trip up student voters in your state.
• Assistance in connecting students to voter registration and election awareness efforts in the surrounding community to develop their leadership and job experience
• Social media plan for your campus, including tweets and Facebook status updates timed strategically to remind students of important dates and deadlines
• Co-branded palm cards that summarize the most essential information a student needs to know in the last few weeks before Election Day
• Op-eds and ads designed for campus or local newspapers that provide voting  information to students and a simple check list for voting
• Help with the creation of a student poll worker project with local elections officials to give your students hands-on experience with democracy and an opportunity to serve their community

If you are interested in taking advantage of CVP’s free election resources to help your school increase student voting rates, contact Kristen Muthig at (202) 331-0114 or [email protected]. Please copy me, TDC National Coordinator Stephanie South at [email protected], on your email.