Weber State earns bronze for voter engagement, strives for gold in 2024
OGDEN, Utah — Fresh off earning a bronze certification for excellence in student voter registration and turnout in the 2022 midterm elections, Weber State University is focusing on gold ahead of the 2024 elections.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge recognized Weber State for its nonpartisan democratic engagement efforts that fostered high levels of student voter engagement in the 2022 midterm elections. WSU received the Bronze Seal award, reflecting its commitment to ensuring that nonpartisan democratic engagement is a defining feature of campus life.
The Bronze Seal is awarded to campuses that had a 20 to 29% voter rate. ALL IN also recognized Weber State for having a “highly established action plan.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Weber State was recognized alongside more than 500 campuses using data from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement out of Tufts University, which found that colleges and universities had the second-highest voter turnout among students in a midterm election since NSLVE began measuring this data. The full list of campus award winners can be viewed here.
“Weber State and our Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service value the importance of promoting nonpartisan democratic engagement, and the most fundamental way to do that is through voter registration and participation efforts,” said WSU President Brad Mortensen. “Following the blueprint in our award-winning action plan, we're hoping to achieve even higher marks for the 2024 election cycle. This year we are going for gold.”
This fall, the Walker Institute is holding training sessions for election workers, hosting candidate nights with individuals running for office in Weber and Davis counties, as well as getting students registered to vote.
Leah Murray, political science professor and director of the Walker Institute, said she’s proud that Weber State was recognized as a politically engaged school.
“Winning a bronze medal is an excellent recognition of the work that is happening across campus to invite our students to engage as active citizens,” Murray said. “Even though we live in a noncompetitive political environment, our faculty and staff work to register our student voters, prepare them for their vote and make it possible for them to cast a ballot on campus.”
“The ALL IN Awards were created to celebrate nonpartisan democratic engagement and the outstanding campus voter registration and turnout rates achieved by our ALL IN campuses. Ahead of the 2024 elections, ALL IN campuses are ready to build on the momentum from 2022 to ensure their communities are ready to make an even bigger impact this fall,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “ALL IN is proud to celebrate and honor top-performing campuses, like Weber State, who demonstrate that nonpartisan student voter engagement is possible and effective.”
More than 1,060 institutions enrolling more than 10 million students participate in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, which supports colleges and universities in achieving excellence in nonpartisan student voter engagement.
Marketing & Communications staff
- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu