FSU’s Office of Civic Engagement Receives $2,000 in Help America Vote College Program Grants
Jun 18, 2024 8:00 AM
Frostburg State University’s Office of Civic Engagement announced that they were selected as a recipient of a $2,000 Help America Vote College Program (HAVCP) grant. FSU’s award is part of a larger grant to the University System of Maryland from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
In the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress dedicated $1 million in funding for grants to encourage college students to serve as nonpartisan poll workers in the 2024 election. Frostburg’s Office of Civic Engagement intends to use the funds to effectively recruit students and engage them in the necessary training to serve as poll workers.
“We will develop an informative pamphlet that details the importance of poll workers, outlines the responsibilities involved, and highlights the benefits of participating, such as gaining hands-on civic experience and supporting the community,” said Patrick O’Brien, FSU’s Director of Civic Engagement.
In addition to the pamphlets, FSU plans to launch a comprehensive marketing campaign to include designing and printing posters for display across campus and utilizing social media outlets. “We will also market and recruit for three in-person information sessions with guest speakers from the Board of Elections to explain the process, benefits and answer questions,” said O’Brien. FSU will offer transportation to these sessions to help overcome any logistical barriers and to ensure accessibility for all participants.
Frostburg is among organizations selected for HAVCP awards that include accredited colleges and universities, state and local election offices and nonprofits across 19 states. HAVCP programming will engage more than 7,000 college students through targeted recruitment and training initiatives, civic education courses and established partnerships with local stakeholders.
“Frostburg’s initiative will not only benefit FSU students, but also the wider community,” said O’Brien. “While our primary focus is on recruiting students, all our efforts, including marketing and informational sessions will be open to community members to assist the Board of Elections in recruiting additional poll workers.”
O’Brien anticipates that this project will result in the recruitment and deployment of at least 15 FSU students as election poll workers, which will increase civic engagement and awareness among the student body and enhance the inclusivity and efficiency of local polling stations while strengthening partnerships with local organizations and community members.
According to the EAC’s Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), about one million poll workers are needed for a presidential general election and reported that roughly 14% of poll workers deployed during the 2022 general election were between the ages of 18-40. The hope is that by encouraging college students to sign up to become poll workers they will continue to assist in this election cycle and beyond.
ABOUT THE U.S ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (EAC)
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate, and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. The EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.