National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, Sept. 20. Vanderbilt students, staff and faculty are encouraged to register to vote using the online TurboVote platform or in person on campus.
Nearly 4.7 million Americans across all 50 states have registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day since it was first observed in 2012, including 1.3 million in 2018–19 alone. According to U.S. Census data from 2020, as many as one in four eligible Americans are not registered to vote.
As part of the effort to better keep the community informed and to make voting easier, the university has renewed its partnership with TurboVote, a platform that 1) guides users through the voter registration process, 2) allows users to sign up for text and email election reminders, 3) helps users start the absentee or mail-in ballot request process and 4) supports users through the entire voting process. TurboVote keeps track of voter registration, absentee and vote-by-mail rules for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Access Vanderbilt’s TurboVote platform. >>
National Voter Registration Day events are part of Vanderbilt, Let’s Vote, an initiative aimed at promoting voter engagement and increasing voter registration among the university community. As a way to kick off voter registration this fall at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt’s Division of Government and Community Relations and the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center hosted a voter registration drive as part of Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26. Also this fall, the Office of General Counsel will be coordinating a notary-athon for anyone needing to have an absentee ballot notarized. More information on that effort will be shared soon.
MORE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY EVENTS
11 a.m.–2 p.m. – Vandy Votes will be hosting a registration drive at Rand and The Commons.
5 p.m.–8:30 p.m. – Vandy Votes will be hosting a registration drive at The Commons.
KEY ELECTION DATES
Tuesday, Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline
Tuesday, Nov. 1: Deadline to request an absentee ballot
Tuesday, Nov. 8: State and federal general, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, and Goodlettsville municipal Election Day