James Hefter
Pronouns:
Research Mentor(s): Edie Goldenberg
Co-Presenter: Roth, Eva
Research Mentor School/College/Department: / Public Policy
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 2 – 11am – 11:50am
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: James Hefter, Edie Goldenberg
Presenter: 52
Abstract
There is an issue regarding the voting patterns of young people throughout the country, and Dr. Edie Goldenberg plans to combat how student voting is surprisingly low. As a response to this phenomenon, Dr. Goldenberg established a nonpartisan student organization, Turn up Turnout (TUT), that works to educate college students and make them more aware of the importance of voting so they can make a difference. Through qualitative research, the study involves creating nonpartisan presentations on contentious contemporary policies and topics to allow students to form their own opinions and understand how their votes can make a difference to those policies. This is a work in progress, but hundreds of students have signed up and actively participated in these presentations, which are called “Dinners for Democracyâ€. In recent elections, TUT’s strategies have proved to be successful in getting college students to vote. TUT, started at the University of Michigan, has had a bigger impact than simply at the university; the organization has also influenced voting pledges and challenges at other BIG 10 universities.
Interdisciplinary, Social Sciences
