A non-partisan committee which sprung up at Dickinson during the 2018 midterm elections is continuing its work in registering students to vote in the electoral off-season.

According to Assistant Professor of Political Science Sarah Niebler, one of the faculty members on the Dickinson Votes Committee, the mission of the organization is “to encourage, and provide support for, Dickinson students to register and vote in each and every election.”

The organization is comprised of students, staff and faculty. Erik Love, assistant professor of sociology, is another faculty member on the committee. Josh Eisenberg, assistant dean of student leadership and new student programs, is the “driving force” behind Dickinson Votes, according to Niebler.

As of now, there are about 10 students involved in the committee, according to Niebler, representing many political organizations across campus including College Democrats, College Republicans, the Dickinson College chapter of The American Association of University Women and Swing Left. Staff members from the Dickinson College Library are involved as well.

“We are always looking for new student members,” said Niebler. 

Emma Spector ’19, who is a political science major at Dickinson, joined Dickinson Votes because of her passion for encouraging others to vote.

“I recognize the importance of voting in every election and I want my peers to know that voting is cool, easy and necessary to make democracy function,” Spector stated.

The committee meets monthly and also hosts voter registration drives on the first Tuesday of each month.

“[C]ommunity engagement is fundamental to the Dickinson experience,” stated Niebler in a written statement. “We encourage all Dickinson students to “vote where they live” which means registering and voting in Carlisle.”

One of the goals of the organization is to help students understand the importance of voting in local and primary elections as well as presidential and general elections. 

“It’s relatively easy for students to see how the presidential and other federal general elections affect their lives, but in reality, it’s just as important for students to vote in local and primary elections,” said Niebler.

Other goals include providing support for students studying abroad so that they can vote with absentee ballots and understanding the best methods for encouraging increased interest in registering to vote and voting on college campuses.

“No matter where we are in our lives or in the world, we have the opportunity to make our voices heard,” said Spector. “Voting carries so much power and I hope that every Dickinson student is able to harness and capitalize on that power.”

Anyone interested in joining Dickinson Votes should reach out to Niebler, Eisenberg or Love.