University Libraries
I'll Vote for That!
By Amy Rohmiller
We’re less than two months away from Election Day — a chance for Americans to make their voices heard about issues they care about on the local and national levels. In 2020, millennial and Generation Z voters will make up about 40% of the electorate, giving these generations the power to effect meaningful change.
Yet in 2016, less than 60% of eligible voters in the U.S. actually voted. There’s a history behind these numbers. Though voting is a way for ordinary citizens to show what kind of government they want, the right to vote was not always available to most American citizens.
“I’ll Vote for That: The History of Voting and Why You Should Vote,” an asynchronous, PATH-eligible workshop, will help students learn more about the history of voting in the United States and why it is critical to vote. Through a series of modules, participants will receive an introduction to the long struggle many marginalized groups faced to gain the right to vote; learn about the Flyer connection to the 26th Amendment, which gave 18-year-olds the right to vote; learn why voting is important in every election; and explore nonpartisan resources to research what will be on the ballot. At the end, each participant can create a personal voting plan to ensure their vote counts.
All students are welcome to participate from any computer through Oct. 2.
— Amy Rohmiller is the associate University archivist in University Archives and Special Collections. She and Shari Neilson, Diane Osman and Patty Meinking created this program. For information, email Rohmiller.