Voter Engagement Coalition
The Voter Engagement Coalition is a non-partisan initiative supporting Illinois State's core value of civic engagement through electoral engagement. Nonpartisanship guides how we interact with all members of the Illinois State and McLean County community. It allows us to focus on building the strongest relationships possible to support voter access and create opportunities for students to participate in the democratic process. Participating in democratic processes are political, but do not have to be ideological. Voting is a constitutional right and we believe elections should be inclusive. We envision a democracy that is truly of all people, by all people, and for all people. Time and energy of coalition members is dedicated to supporting all students who want to participate in the electoral process, to achieve full participation in our democracy.
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How We Approach Student Voter Engagement
Illinois State University approaches voter engagement in three staggered yet overlapping stages. We focus first on helping students to register to vote. Then we help students to be informed about the current election so they know who is on the ballot and access resources to help them determine how they will vote. Finally, we focus on turnout so students know the ways they can vote and receive the final encouragement to cast their ballot. The phases are grounded in campus advocates. Equipping students with registration, education, and turnout information requires the support and advocacy from faculty, staff, and students throughout campus. All of this work is underscored by voter restoration which seeks to educate the campus community on the historical and present-day barriers that marginalized peoples experience as well as strive for unequivocable voter access for all people.
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Voter Friendly Campus Designation
Illinios State University has received the Voter Friendly Campus designation for 2023-24. The University first received the designation in March 2021, following the creation of the 2020 Voter Engagement Plan. Since then, the Coalition has developed and submitted plans to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge and received the Highly Established Action Plan Seal for the 2024 election cycle. Both the 2022 and 2024 plans are listed below. See this news article for information for more information about the seal.
Coalition Members
Interested in supporting student political engagement? We'd love to hear your ideas and work with you. Email the Center for Civic Engagement..
- Angela Bonnell- Head of Government Documents, Milner Library
- Caitlin Bradford- Civic Education and Political Engagement Program Assistant, Center for Civic Engagement
- Christine Bruckner- Assistant Director, Office of Sustainability
- Paige Buschman- Associate Director, Center for Civic Engagement
- Kerri Calvert- Program Coordinator, Health Promotion and Wellness
- Tashay Dennie- Assistant Dean of LEAD (Leadership Education and Development), Dean of Students Office
- Erin Hastings- Thesis & Dissertation Associate, Graduate School
- Paige Hofstetter- Student Government Association Civic Engagement Committee Chair
- Dr. Stephen Hunt- Professor, School of Communication
- Britt Kotiw- Program Coordinator, LEAD (Leadership Education and Development)
- Dr. Jacqueline Lanier- Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences
- Dr. Meghan Leonard- Associate Professor, Department of Politics and Government
- Melissa Libert- Assistant Executive Director/Development Director, WGLT (NPR affiliate)
- Chad Kahl- Data Services Librarian, Milner Library/League of Women Voters McLean County
- Andrea Markert- Principal, University High School
- Kelsey Orrill- Assistant Director of Competitive Sports, Campus Recreation
- Megan Patterson- Internship Connections Coordinator, Career Services
- Beth Porter- Director of Business Opperations, WGLT/League of Women Voters of McLean County
- Megan Taylor- Academic Advisor, School of Kinesiology and Recreation
- Elizabeth Thomason- Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Development, University Housing Services
- Dr. Katy Strzepek- Director, Center for Civic Engagement
- Dr. Steve Suess- Director of Convergent Radio Broadcasting, School of Communication
- Dr. Rachel Waring-Sparks- Assistant Director of Assessment, Center for Civic Engagement
- Dr. Eric Wesselmann- Professor, Department of Psychology
- Chad Woolard- Instructor, ISU School of Communications