In 2020 Delta College was recognized for its efforts in “engaging students about the importance
of voting during the 2020 presidential election. The college had a campus-wide votership of
58.6%. This was 3% higher than the national average and an 8% increase in voting in the 2016
election. According to the Institute of Democracy in Higher Education, 66% of students voted
in 2020, which is a 14% increase from the 2016 election.
1.4 million members of Gen Z students registered to vote in 2020, but only
864,000 voted. That’s a 38.3% difference. In November 2024, 40.8 million Gen Z voters
will be eligible to vote–which is about 8.3 million new voters compared to the 2022 midterms.
There are many ways to vote in the state of Michigan. All Delta College campuses in the Tri-Cities are offering a three-day registration drive online and in person to get students dedicated to making a change. Students and teachers alike are coming together to help Delta receive the 2024 Best Action Award to blow our registration rates from the last election out of the water.
“Voting for what you believe in is enough for your voice to be heard,” said Delta student Emily McLellan.
McLellan considers herself politically active and educates herself on how she can help make a change in the community by educating others about the impact of voting. She finds Delta’s efforts on educational emails and registration walkthroughs on E-learning to be important in offering equal opportunities to be heard as a voter.
In younger generations, we see students register but not exercise the right to vote once the election arrives. In the 2020 election, there was a 38.3% difference between Gen Z students who registered to vote and those who went to the polls on election day. Political science professor Kim Klein was an organizer for one of the main campus Delta registration booths. She spoke about the political divide of young voters and why it is necessary for them to act rather than sit on the bench during game day.
“When younger people actually participate, then the lawmakers listen because they understand that your vote hires and fires them,” Klein said.
As the voices of the new generation, it is important for us to speak out on issues to make changes in our democracy. This practice is how we keep democracy alive; often, there is a stigma attached to speaking out as a newly eligible voter. The throughline we heard in talking to students was that the singular vote cannot make a change, so the need to vote is diminished, even though studies prove every vote counts.
Delta student Alauna Millward highlights this thought process and how to overcome that fear as a new voter.
“If you don’t like the way the world is working right now, you have the power to change that with this vote,” Millward stressed.
Delta College is coming together for the 2024 election. From Sept. 16 to Sept. 19, the Voter Registration Drive will take place both on campus and through E-learning. Be sure to register and pledge to vote in the upcoming election on Nov. 5. Every voice matters, whether you’re new to the polls or a seasoned voter; our democracy wants to hear your voice.
Students from Crystal McMorris’s News Writing class collaborated on this article:
Mikaila Bluew (staff reporter), Kenadie Mlujeak, Sydney Armstrong, Blake Metiva (staff reporter), Nathan Hochthanner
