Chapman Organizes Voter Registration for Students Chapman’s student voting rate has consistently been higher than the average student voting rate of other institutions.

Chapman University is helping students participate in November’s election with events and services over the next few months.

The biggest event will be the Voter Registration Bash on Oct. 17 in Attallah Piazza. Students can enjoy games and food truck snacks while perusing registration information.

This event and other services—known as CU at the Booths—are in keeping with Chapman’s long-standing designation as a Voter-Friendly Campus and a participant in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. The Voter-Friendly Campus designation is awarded by the Campus Vote Project and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is an initiative by the nonprofit Civic Nation to support civic learning, political engagement and voter participation.

Voter-Friendly Campus is a title awarded to universities that help students register to vote, access their ballot and turn out for Election Day. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is based on student voting rates, according to Chapman Director of Student Engagement Justin Koppelman.

Chapman has participated in the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement since it launched over a decade ago. Since then, Chapman’s student voting rate has consistently been higher than the average student voting rate of other participating institutions.

For the 2020 presidential election, Chapman’s registration rate was 88.3% and the voting rate was 79.5%. For the 2022 midterms—the most recent data available—registration was 77.3% and the voting rate was 34.3%. 

“Our focus has been on helping students remember to register especially since it might be their first time voting, building the habit for years to come,” says Koppelman, Ph.D. “We want this to be a natural part of the Chapman student experience in the fall.”

The registration bash, held by Argyros Forum Student Union, will be a festive event, program coordinator Karla Monterrey says. Koppelman says students are usually most influenced by other students.

“If I know my roommate is going to vote, that impacts my tendency to vote,” he says. 

Chapman also continues to serve the voting process beyond students. Since 2020, the campus has served as a county Vote Center, which is open to all eligible voters in the county. The center will be in Room 119AB in Argyros Forum.

CU at the Booths events and resources will be offered at Argyros Forum at the Orange campus and at the Rinker Campus Center in Irvine. Here is the list of events:

• Providing voter registration assistance at Orientation at the Orange campus
• Presidential debate screening, Sept. 10
• National Voter Registration Day and Constitution Day, Sept. 17
• Voter Education Week resource tables, Oct. 7-11
• Voter Registration Bash, noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 17
• Orange County Registrar of Voters Vote Center, Nov. 2-5
• Election Day results screening, Nov. 5
• Voting resources display in Leatherby Libraries in October
• Promoting TurboVote as registration tool and election deadline reminder
• Providing a voter registration and turnout module in Canvas for faculty to add to their courses