The St. Olaf’s student body has set high standards for college civic engagement — in both 2020 and 2022, St. Olaf had the highest student voting rate of the more than 500 colleges and universities participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. This begs the question: how did Oles become so civically engaged?
The answer: Oles have been civically engaged for decades. The Practicing Democracy exhibit recently displayed in the Flaten Art Museum illustrates this history. The exhibit contains documentation of voter registration and participation, student protests, and political figures visiting campus since early 1900, all of which reflect many of the civic actions Oles take today.
Additionally, offering Buntrock Commons as a polling location makes it even easier for Oles to vote. Buntrock has been a polling location since the early 2000s. “Having the ability to walk to the polls versus trying to find transportation has made all the difference,” said Associate Dean of Students Tim Schroer in an email interview with The Olaf Messenger. “SGA and the college used to sponsor vans to get students to the appropriate polls, and while students took advantage of that, the numbers were still a bit low. Buntrock has been a great change to allow for much greater participation.”
Furthermore, St. Olaf is a part of a greater culture of high civic engagement within Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota has voter-friendly laws that make it easy for citizens to exercise their right to vote. Minnesota also has same-day voter registration, which not all states have. “It’s no accident that seven of the top 10 private four-year colleges in the 2022 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge are from Minnesota, and it’s no accident that three of the top 10 community colleges are from Minnesota,” said Program Director for Academic Civic Engagement Alyssa Melby.
While many Oles are civically engaged, there are still some that are on the fence about voting. Melby encourages reaching out if students need voting resources. “For every other race besides President, it’s a one-to-one vote,” Melby said. “There have been many races that have been decided through a handful of votes, especially local… I would argue voting is a responsibility that we all have.”
