There's a national election on Nov. 5, and U.S. citizens have the opportunity to use their vote to influence everything from federal leadership to city council races to local property tax rates.

The Center for Civic Education asserts that "in a democracy, the people are sovereign. The people are the ultimate source of authority." But Tufts University reports that in the 2020 presidential election, only 66% of college students across the nation asserted that authority and cast their votes.

“There’s definitely not a scarcity of information out there about how to vote,” says Bachelor of Science in Information student Alex Warren. 

He would know: Warren is part of the Creative Campus Voting Project (CCVP), a non-partisan initiative based at U-M’s Stamps School of Art & Design and co-led by associate professors Stephanie Rowden and Hannah Smotrich. CCVP leverages the team’s creative skills to support student voters through the whole process.

The challenge? Delivering voting information and resources in ways that are engaging, effective and accessible for students.

One solution Warren helped with: the CCVP’s “What’s Your Voting Style?” personality quiz, a playful digital tool that helps U-M students make a plan to register and vote that fits with their schedule and style.

Students answer a few questions to reveal their voting style and receive a customized action plan for casting their ballot. They could be an early bird, suited to voting ahead of time on campus. Or a party puppy, ready to grab a group of friends and go vote together. Or … take the quiz and find out!

The CCVP team landed on a personality quiz to communicate individualized voting information to students because the medium meets users where they are — a lot of the students they’re trying to reach grew up taking these kinds of quizzes for fun (and still do!). 

And the focus on accessibility Warren brought to the project helps student voters by providing an experience that’s easy to navigate, with clear next steps. 

“We were invested in making this resource as straightforward as possible,” Warren says. “Something that’s effortless for the user, that works with their existing technology, with an aesthetically pleasing interface that follows accessibility guidelines. Plus, clear, concise language.”

The quiz was created by Stephanie Rowden, Hannah Smotrich, Ria Ma, Lindsay Farb, Victor Luis Garcia, Aoife Harte, Abigail Lowe, Alex Warren and Boxcar Studio, with support from U-M’s Arts Initiative.

Keep scrolling to find tips straight from UMICH Votes that can help students complete their voting action plans, as well as a schedule of voter engagement and education events at UMSI.

5 things for students to know about voting

1. College students have a choice. 
Students can register to vote at their permanent address (in their home district) or their local student address. 

2. There’s a website just for student voters.
Wherever students choose to vote, govote.umich.edu has accurate, non-partisan information. 

3. There are people to help! 
There are two Campus Voting Hubs, at UMMA and the Duderstadt Center Gallery, serving as comprehensive, in-person voter resource centers. UMICH Votes Fellows will welcome students and answer questions. Ann Arbor City Clerks Office staff are ready to help students register and vote early in Ann Arbor. Elsewhere on campus, look for Turn Up Turnout students tabling.

⭐ Psst! Students who complete the CCVP’s “What’s Your Voting Style?” personality quiz can pick up a sticker that matches their result at Campus Voting Hubs. Share the quiz with a friend and get a custom keychain too while supplies last!

4. It’s important for students to double-check their registration.
If a student has moved since the last time they registered, they’ll need to update their address. If they registered with an outside group on campus, they should confirm that they’re all set. (Stuff happens!) Visit govote.umich.edu/registration for more information.

5. There’s no reason to wait until Election Day!
If a student plans to vote out of state, they should plan early. If a student plans to vote in Ann Arbor, they can register and vote at a Campus Voting Hub starting Sept. 24. Visit govote.umich.edu/vote for more information.

Plug in to voter events at UMSI

UMSI is hosting non-partisan voter engagement and education events for students, faculty and staff:

Civic User Testing (CUT) Group: CCVP “What’s Your Voting Style?” personality quiz
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 1-7 p.m.
North Quad Media Gateway
Students are invited to come test out the CCVP’s new student voter resource and provide recommendations to improve the platform’s usability.

Community Conversations: U.S. Elections 
Register here: umsi.info/elo-register
Tuesday, Oct. 1, noon-1 p.m. 
UMSI Engagement Center 
Domestic and international students are invited to join in guided conversation over lunch to share perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the global implications of U.S. politics.

Bagels and Ballots 
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 
North Quad Media Gateway
Stop by to grab some bagels and coffee and check your voter registration. Learn how to get involved with voter turnout!

Year of Democracy: Misinformation and Voter Information Workshop
Register here: umsi.info/elo-register 
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Ehrlicher Room (3100 North Quad) 
Join Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Cliff Lampe for a workshop on misinformation propagated during election season. Lampe will discuss what misinformation is, why people are so vulnerable to it, and how it affects the election. Lunch provided for in-person registrants.

Stride to Decide with UMSI!
Wednesday, Oct. 30, noon-1 p.m.
Meet outside the entrance of North Quad near E. Washington 
Walk to the UMMA Campus Voting Hub with the UMSI community for early voting and to encourage others to vote. Halloween-themed snacks will be available! 

Post-election Community Space
Wednesday, Nov. 6, noon-1 p.m.
North Quad Space 2435
Come for snacks, resources, company and space to decompress after Election Day. 

Lead image by Connor Titsworth, courtesy of VP Communications, Regents of the University of Michigan

RELATED

Read more about how the CCVP uses art and design to support student voting.