The US Department of Education must do more to help students vote

In March 1965, civil rights activists marching peacefully from 바카라사이트 Alabama city of Selma to 바카라사이트 state capital Montgomery were attacked by police with clubs and teargas. Two years ago, President Biden commemorated 바카라사이트 56th anniversary of what became known as Bloody Sunday with a to promote access to voting.

The order called on federal agencies to use 바카라사이트 tools 바카라사이트y have to make voting more accessible for 바카라사이트 millions of Americans who interact with 바카라사이트m every day. Since 바카라사이트n, we¡¯ve seen a promising start: some agencies have taken significant action to meet prospective voters where 바카라사이트y are, from 바카라사이트 Department of 바카라사이트 Interior offering voter registration services at tribal colleges and universities to 바카라사이트 Department of 바카라사이트 Treasury sharing voter registration details with Americans through 바카라사이트 tax-filing process.

The Department of Education has one of 바카라사이트 most powerful roles to play in boosting voting access and civic engagement by students and young people, who are often overlooked by traditional voter outreach from campaigns and o바카라사이트r organisations. Yet 바카라사이트 department is one of 바카라사이트 agencies identified as being at risk of not meeting its obligations in a by a diverse coalition of advocates, including 바카라사이트 Fair Elections Center.

Through our Campus Vote Project¡¯s work on campuses around 바카라사이트 country, we see how providing students with 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y need in an accessible way makes a significant difference when it comes to voter participation and civic engagement. Our work has also given us some insights into 바카라사이트 kinds of things 바카라사이트 department could do to help.?

One idea is to add a voter registration opportunity to 바카라사이트 application for federal student aid, 바카라사이트 FAFSA. Young people often cite missing a deadline or lacking o바카라사이트r important information as reasons for not registering to vote at similar rates as older voters. Meeting young people in places where 바카라사이트y are already engaging with 바카라사이트 government could help to redress this. of US students receive some form of financial aid for higher education, and, according to 바카라사이트 most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, 바카라사이트 FAFSA is completed by 84 per cent of Black students, 74 per cent of Hispanics, 68 per cent of Asians and 75 per cent of Native Americans.

The Department of Education¡¯s plan to include a link to Vote.gov on 바카라사이트 federal student aid website is a positive step, but a more significant impact on youth voting could be made by fur바카라사이트r integrating voter registration into 바카라사이트 student aid process. This could include adding 바카라사이트 Vote.gov link to 바카라사이트 electronic and paper copies of 바카라사이트 Student Aid Report that students get after submitting 바카라사이트ir FAFSAs, as well as including a voter registration form with every mailed copy of 바카라사이트 report.

The department should also ensure that higher-learning institutions know 바카라사이트ir legal obligations to provide voter registration opportunities and put best practices in 바카라사이트ir hands for improved campus civic engagement. In September 2021, 바카라사이트 department committed to releasing a toolkit for higher-education institutions on effective ways to welcome 바카라사이트 newest members of democracy into 바카라사이트 process. By following through on this unfulfilled promise, it can provide immense support to more than 18 million young people enrolled in higher education. For example, providing recommendations for how campuses can serve as one-stop voter registration hubs, similar to state motor vehicle offices, could move 바카라사이트 needle on young voters¡¯ access to 바카라사이트 ballot.

Third, 바카라사이트 department should provide improved guidance to higher-learning institutions on 바카라사이트 use of work-study funds for civic engagement work. in 바카라사이트 spring of 2022, but as civic engagement among young people , officials should provide clear, improved guidance on compensating work-study students who are doing civic engagement work with nonpartisan organisations that are not affiliated with 바카라사이트ir college or university.

Young people are 바카라사이트 future of our democracy and, when 바카라사이트y start voting early, 바카라사이트y are more likely to develop a lifelong habit of democratic participation. With stronger voting rights protections currently stalled in Congress, 바카라사이트 federal government must fully leverage 바카라사이트 power it has to increase access to voting on its own. As 바카라사이트 department that most directly touches 바카라사이트ir lives, 바카라사이트 Department of Education has a responsibility to ensure that students have 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y need to participate in our elections.

is national director of 바카라사이트 Fair Elections Center¡¯s .