In recognition of National Voter Registration Day (September 22, 2020), the American Political Science Association reaffirms its commitment to encouraging the civic participation of our members and the public, and supporting the processes and principles necessary for a healthy democracy. APSA encourages all political science educators to take the following steps in the coming weeks.
We’ve highlighted a few key resources to assist you in these efforts, but also invite you to explore APSA’s additional resources on voting and political participation via the RAISE the Vote campaign, APSA Election Reflection Series, and APSA Educate.
Educate students on key democratic processes.
- APSA Educate: Collection of Teaching Materials for the 2020 US Election
- “The Cora Brown Lecture Series – American State & Local Government Course at Howard University,” by Keneshia N. Grant
Encourage students to register, vote, and engage in their political communities.
- RAISE the Vote resources for campus engagement
- “I Will Register to Vote, If You Teach Me How: A Field Experiment Testing Voter Information in College Classrooms,” by Elizabeth A. Bennion and David W. Nickerson
Support efforts to address poll worker shortages, by sharing information with your students and colleagues about how to serve as a poll worker.
- “How Colleges Can Help Overcome the National Poll Worker Shortage,” by Andrew J. Seligsohn and Emily Bottie
- “Pedagogical Value of Polling-Place Observation by Students,” by Christopher B. Mann, et al.
In addition, APSA will soon roll out a new initiative, which will highlight political science research, teaching, and community engagement related to the election. We are hopeful that these works will serve as important resources for political scientists and the public when engaging in discussions about democracy and the election. Stay tuned as more details will be unveiled in late September 2020!