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Get Involved

Find out how you can get involved and make an impact this election season.

Whether you want to volunteer or pursue a paid position, there are numerous ways to contribute to the electoral process and your community.

MAC Votes Challenge

The MAC Votes Challenge is in its first year of existence. Our fellow universities throughout the Mid-American Athletic Conference are competing against each other to see which school’s student body and athletic department best support students’ voter engagement, register to vote, and turn out to vote. 

One way any student can help Kent State succeed in this challenge is to submit a pledge to vote. The pledge will count toward Kent State’s overall total, which is one of the criteria taken into consideration when determining the MAC Votes Challenge winner. 

Paid Opportunities

Community Action Fellows

Position Overview

A stipend-based student leader position in the Community Engaged Learning office focused on voting and political engagement; two students are hired every year.

Community Action Fellows have the opportunity to:

  • Design and implement original community-based projects connected to Community Engaged Learning’s Civic Engagement Area of Impact
  • Serve as a liaison to multiple local non-profit organizations and government agencies
  • Serve as a member of the Kent State Votes coalition
  • Attend two meetings per month with other Fellows focusing on leadership development, community engagement, and professional networking throughout the year
  • Commit to working an average of eight hours/week. Fellows receive a $375 stipend every quarter of the academic year (October, December, March, and May) with the completion of all responsibilities.
Democracy Fellows

Position Overview

A stipend-based student leader position hired by Campus Vote Project and placed with the Community Engaged Learning office focused on voting and political engagement; Campus Vote Project hires two students during each election year (e.g., Spring and Fall 2024).

Democracy Fellows have the opportunity to:

  • Serve as a member of the Kent State Votes coalition
  • Attend two meetings per month focusing on voter engagement activities at Kent State. Fellows receive a $700 stipend in the spring and $900 in the fall with the completion of all responsibilities.
Board of Elections Precinct Election Officials (Pollworkers)

Position Overview

Precinct Election Officials are hired by Ohio county Boards of Election to ensure that elections are run fairly and impartially and conducted according to Ohio law; with Kent State being located in Portage County, we provide our university community with information on how to become a Precinct Election Official here

Precinct Election Officials open and close the polling locations on Election Day and guide voters through the voting process. They verify voters are in the proper location and are registered to vote, maintain order in each polling place, and ensure the security of all election materials

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Must be registered to vote in Portage County
  2. Read and speak English clearly (second languages are a plus)
  3. Attend a three hour-long training class
  4. Available on Election Day with availability for future elections

Responsibilities

The Board of Elections places Precinct Election Officials based on their preference as much as possible, but need sometimes requires placement of officials elsewhere in the county.

Precinct Election Officials are required to arrive at their polling locations at 5:45 a.m. on Election Day and serve until responsibilities are completed after polls close at 7:30 p.m. with an hour break for lunch (there are no split days).

Precinct Election Officials will receive $20 to attend the training class and $130 for their work on Election Day

Volunteer Opportunities

Kent State Votes Ambassador

Position Overview

  • Receive training to learn about the voting process and how to best communicate this information to fellow students
  • Connect with other students by staffing voter information tables and providing brief presentations about the voting process to student organizations and classes
  • Join a campus-wide coalition that is made up of students, faculty, and staff who are working to ensure students have the access and information needed to participate in the voting process

Please note that this is a volunteer position, and you can expect a commitment of 1-2 hours/week.

. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

For Faculty/Staff

Presentation Requests

Request a Voting Presentation

To allow for as many students as possible to learn about the voting process, including registering to vote and the options they have to complete and submit ballots, we are offering a form that allows any student organization, course instructor, or program advisor/facilitator to request an informational presentation by either one or multiple members of the Kent State Votes coalition OR a voter information table. 

These presentations and resources provided will be non-partisan and interactive, will provide information specific to registering and voting as a Kent State student, and will also be opportunities for students to ask any questions they have.

To allow us to properly assign facilitators from the coalition, requests must be made at least 2 weeks in advance of the requested presentation date. We will respond to your request within 48 hours.

Submit an Event to the Kent State Votes Calendar

Request a Voting Presentation

To allow for as many students as possible to learn about the voting process, including registering to vote and the options they have to complete and submit ballots, we are offering a form that allows any student organization, course instructor, or program advisor/facilitator to request an informational presentation by either one or multiple members of the Kent State Votes coalition OR a voter information table. 

These presentations and resources provided will be non-partisan and interactive, will provide information specific to registering and voting as a Kent State student, and will also be opportunities for students to ask any questions they have.

To allow us to properly assign facilitators from the coalition, requests must be made at least 2 weeks in advance of the requested presentation date. We will respond to your request within 48 hours.