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Deepening our partnership with CougarVotes, our combined efforts led to registering 896 students through creative, high-energy activations and events Hosted the first-ever campus-wide National Voter Registration Day Celebration in September, engaging 200+ students with registration, voting plans, games, and conversations with community leaders and candidates Turned Early Voting into a campus-wide community celebration, leading a block party-style Stroll To The Polls from campus to the nearest early voting location with signs, music, and high-energy vibes We launched dynamic, student-centered programming strengthening community ties and expanding knowledge and engagement around civic action. A highlight was hosting the Banned Together screening on campus. 140+ students and community members gathered to watch the documentary and participate in a powerful discussion on public education, book bans, and youth organizing & advocacy featuring two students featured in the film. This year was about boosting voter turnout and also building a sustainable, accessible culture of civic engagement, leadership, and advocacy on campus that could last beyond the election cycle. Cougars Vote! Leading the Way in Campus Mobilization We expanded our partnership with the College of Charleston Honors College , Center for Civic Engagement , CougarVotes , and other student groups, to integrate and enhance civic engagement into the fabric of campus life. Training and Investing in Young Leaders Recruited and supported students in voter engagement strategies, including youth-led canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts Trained and supported 31 students as paid relational organizing canvassers, ensuring peer-to-peer engagement and voter mobilization across campus Our presence on campus highlighted the barriers students, especially first time voters, face. Out-of-state students struggled to navigate absentee and vote-by-mail processes. Many didn’t know how to request ballots, meet witness requirements, or mail deadlines. By leveraging partnerships in other states, we provided hands-on assistance helping students complete their absentee ballots across 19 states (including NC, GA, FL, WI, NY). Some wanted to register in SC but lacked the required ID to vote. We launched a Voter ID Program helping them secure SC Voter ID Cards. This effort has sparked a student-led campaign advocating for more accessible voter ID laws ahead of the 2025-2026 legislative session. Identifying Barriers To Participation
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