A recent study indicates that Lasell students are more politically aware and engaged than their counterparts on campuses across the country.

The University’s student voting rate has increased by 21% over the last three years, a ranking that falls well above the national college average. This distinction, which earned Lasell a spot in Washington Monthly’s 2022 Best Colleges for Student Voting Honor Roll, is in large part due to the sustained efforts of the Lasell Votes initiative .

A nonpartisan, student-led group, Lasell Votes engages students in a variety of programs including voting registration and advocacy workshops. This campus-wide, civically-minded initiative is facilitated by the Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL) and the Brennan Library with CCBL Associate Director Byrd Hughes and Library’s Director, Anna Sarneso, encouraging students to take part in the election process.

Lasell Votes works to educate the college community, helping students understand that voting is a powerful tool, a precious right, and a civic responsibility. Lasell Votes provides students with critical resources including state by state election guidelines, background on candidates and ballot questions, and information on absentee voting.

According to Hughes, students who become attuned to politics and involved in civic life beginning in high school or college carry this commitment well into their adult lives.  

“We make sure students are educated and that they have the correct information, especially this year with the midterm elections coming up. We strive to help them understand that voting is the first step in the process but it’s not the whole process,” said Hughes.

Lasell Votes received two grants from the Alliance for Civic Youth, supporting the University’s involvement in relevant programs and events such as National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week, and Early Voting Day. The organization also received a grant from the Students Learn, Students Vote Coalition, another national organization that supports higher education institutions involved in these essential efforts.

Lasell Votes recently received directives from the federal government indicating that work study funding can be used to support voter engagement. As a result, Lasell Votes plans to hire students next semester as part of this critical outreach effort.

For more information, email lasellvotes@lasell.edu.