Bates Votes, a student-led nonpartisan voting initiative facilitated by the Harward Center for Community Partnerships, is committed to engaging and educating students to participate in our democracy. Since its founding in 2018 by Amalia Herren-Lage ’22 and Ashka Jhaveri ’22, Bates Votes has helped students register to vote, request absentee ballots, provide information for voters and provide Election Day resources. In past election years, it has helped to increase student voter turnout from 71% in 2016 to 84.9% in 2020 – the fourth-highest of any college nationwide.
Bates Votes Co-Coordinator Tammy Namangale ’27 stated that, “We don’t care who you vote for, what’s important is that you vote.”
With a high stakes election barely a week away, Bates Votes has been outside buildings on campus with election help tables, sending out emails with important voting information and posting voting resources on their social media.
Bates Votes Co-Coordinator Ethan Chan ’25 claimed that Bates Votes is making a “big push for National Early Voting Day,” encouraging and supporting students to vote early on Oct. 29. City Hall will be open for extended hours and Bates Votes will be providing transportation shuttles for students every hour from 8 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Online voter registration is now closed, but voters can still register to vote at the Municipal Clerk’s office or at their polling place on Election Day. Chan and Namangale recommended that students be “vote ready” by having a plan to get to City Hall and give themselves over an hour to get through the process of registering if voting on election day. Voters should come prepared with I.D. and proof of residence. If voting in Lewiston, students’ voter registration must reflect their current dorm address; you can find proof of residency through Garnet Gateway under the voter registration tab.
The Harward Center, Residence Life and Campus Life are also providing avenues to become locally involved and engage directly with the greater Lewiston Community. Students interested in supporting others by volunteering with Bates Votes can sign up via their volunteer interest form.
