In recognition of Suffolk University’s efforts to make voting accessible to students during the 2024 election, the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators named the university as a “voter friendly campus” March 25.
Suffolk was one of 272 colleges and universities across 39 states and Washington, D.C. that received the distinction for 2025-2026. To be named a voter friendly campus, schools must submit a civic action plan and report results about voter engagement, education and turnout.
Political science professor Rachael Cobb, the director of Suffolk Votes, said the designation reflects the ways the nonpartisan civic engagement group worked to encourage and educate students about voting through last year’s election cycle. Methods included a comprehensive voter portal with information about registration and voting in all 50 states, class visits from Suffolk Votes ambassadors and student poll worker recruitment.
“What it is supposed to do for us is help us understand what it means to be voter friendly and to put the pieces in place with regards to what we do to promote voting on campus and the support structures that we put in place,” said Cobb.
NASPA and the Campus Vote Project developed the Voter Friendly Campus program in 2016 to create “measurable and manageable guidelines” for colleges and universities to encourage democratic engagement, according to their website. The program also demonstrates how universities can develop new ways to get students involved with the democratic process.
Young adults have historically voted at lower rates than older adults and are more likely to face obstacles when registering to vote, according to the Campus Vote Project. The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University estimated about 42% of young people ages 18-29 voted in the 2024 election, a decrease from the 2020 election when over 50% of young people voted.
Cobb said promoting civic participation is important every year, not only during federal elections, and “continuously improving” education and engagement efforts is key to creating more informed voters.
“You’re never ‘done.’ There’s always more to do, there’s always a better way to do it,” said Cobb.
In an email announcing the distinction March 25, Cobb said Suffolk would keep developing ways to get students involved in the political process on campus.
“Suffolk University has made intensive efforts to inform students of their civic duty and prepare them to be engaged participants in our democracy. We are eager to continue refining our tactics, expanding our efforts, and engaging students through 2025 and beyond,” said Cobb.
Suffolk was also recognized in November as one of ALL IN’s most engaged campuses for student voting based on the civic action plan for the 2024 election.
