Voter Registration and Education
Check out the Voter Education and Registration Events tab below for a schedule of upcoming events!
November 2024 Presidential Election
For many students, 2024 is the first election they will vote in. With some careful planning, you can ensure your participation in the democratic process.
If you do not plan to go home to vote, here are your options:
- To vote in your home community races, arrange for an absentee ballot or to vote early when you are home on another date. Both can be coordinated with the Secretary of State or Town Hall in your community.
- Absentee ballots must be secured in advance and each state has it’s own deadline.
- To vote in RI you must register in RI. You can do this via any of the online voter registration platforms or with the RI Secretary of State’s office using the last 4 digits of your SSN and your campus or off-campus address. You will not be able to vote in your home community races (you can only vote in one place!)
- Students who live on campus and register in RI will vote on campus at North Campus Residence Hall -no transportation needed!
- You can register to vote for President only on November 5th at Bristol Town Hall.
Roger Williams University has joined the All In Challenge, a national movement to encourage college student voting. "The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives for a more inclusive democracy: one in which all voices are heard. We envision a country in which the electorate mirrors our country’s makeup and college students are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls."
Because RWU shares this vision, we have gathered a group of faculty, staff and students to collect resources, create programming and provide education around voting.
Voting laws and procedures vary from state to state. Navigating these can be difficult for anyone, but attending college in a different town or state from your home can make things more complicated.
We have compiled resources to make your participation in the upcoming election easier. Never let anything keep you from the polls!
September 17th, 11am - 2pm, National Voter Registration Day outside the Dining Commons
September 25th, 6pm, Screening of the film "No Time to Fail" about attacks on US poll workers, CAS 157. Co-sponsored by the Dept. of Politics and International Relations
October 1st, 12-2pm, Read Between the [Head] Lines, a conversation around media bias and how to detect misinformation in the media, Dining Commons
October 1st, 6pm Bristol State Senate and Representative Candidates Forum, North Campus Residence Hall, meet the candidates on the local ballot for state senate and general assembly.
November 5th, 7am - 8pm,North Campus Residence Hall, polling place for students who live on campus and registered to vote in RI.
All In Challenge Committee 2024-2025
KC Ferrara, Director, Feinstein Center, Chair
Babette Alina, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Hannah Goodall, Learning Commons Coordinator
Jill Pais, Assistant Vice President of Communications and Media Relations
Dr. Joseph Roberts, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations
Kelly Thompson, Head Coach - Women's Basketball/Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance/Senior Woman Administrator
Melissa Cordeiro, Town Clerk, Town of Bristol
Trusted Sources 2020 RWU Library Guide Includes comprehensive resources for voter education for this election and beyond.
All In Challenge on Hawklink Provides updated civic involvement and voter education and registration event information.
Turbo Vote Provides national voter registration information, including verifying existing registrations.
List of Secretary of State's office in 50 states. Will link you to the unique voter laws in your home state.
Our Time is Now Created by Honors CORE 102 Challenges of Democracy with out of state voter reg info!
2021 Voter Engagement
In 2021, RWU earned the designation of ESTABLISHED, the highest rank for college democratic engagement initiatives as determined by Civic Nation and the All In Democracy Challenge. RWU’s score of 31 (out of 36) is 31% higher than the national average. Not bad for our first attempt and a testament to the community members who worked hard to institutionalize our the commitment to voter education.