Dear Friends and Supporters of the Center for Youth Political Participation,
 
The 2020 election will be one like we've never seen in the United States. As the nation grapples with a public health emergency, Election Day practices will be upended, and confusion threatens to follow. Without a concerted effort by colleges and universities to help students adjust to new environmental considerations in order to vote, there will be considerable drop-off in the youth vote across the country, with a potentially devastating impact on our democracy and their futures. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the youth vote, a nationwide response is required and the Center for Youth Political Participation is taking steps to meet the voting needs of all students this fall with the creation and launch of RU Voting-National. 
For nearly 20 years, RU Voting-Rutgers has served as the resource Rutgers University students, administrators, and faculty rely upon for nonpartisan and accurate registration and Election Day information. In recent presidential elections, our campus' turnout rates have outpaced the rates at comparable institutions and increased student voter turnout for the 2018 elections earned us regional and national recognitions - winning the "Greatest Growth in Student Voter Turnout" in the Big Ten Voting Challenge and earning a "Gold Seal" from the ALL IN Democracy Challenge.
 
The heart of RU Voting always has been our website, a one-stop-shop for Rutgers students who want to get registered, get informed, and get to the polls. Building upon our campus-based experience and expertise, we are designing and launching an RU Voting-National website to meet the most pressing needs of students on college campuses across the country, ensuring that their vote is cast this year.
 
Sleek and easy to navigate, the RU Voting-National website will serve as a resource that colleges across the country can share with their students in order to disseminate accurate, timely, and nonpartisan election information. Website features include:
  • State by state voter registration information
  • State by state Election Day facts
  • Guides on how to vote-by-mail
  • Guides on finding polling locations
  • Interactive chat feature
There are many national initiatives encouraging the youth vote and strong networks among institutions of higher education focused on sharing resource and strategies. This year, institutions of higher education are facing unique challenges due to virtual learning and budget cuts. Time is of the essence to adapt campus-based practices to be responsive to existing local and state circumstances, and a central RU Voting-National website can serve as central resource so that individual institutions can maximize student participation.
 
The RU Voting National Website is coming soon this September!
 
As students and campuses across the country navigate this challenging moment, a nationwide effort must take place to engage young adults and ensure their participation in upcoming elections. Please stay tuned as we finalize the website with plans to launch this September. Thank you in advance for your support - RU Voting?!
 
Sincerely,



Elizabeth C. Matto, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Center for Youth Political Participation, Director
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