Duke University Voting Precinct Proposal

[Abstract not currently available.]

We worked on drafting a proposal for a Duke University precinct for our Democracy Lab project. Currently, Duke students who live on campus are divided into two voting precincts on Election Day. Students must re-register their voting addresses when they change dormitories. If this step is forgotten, they may be issued a provisional ballot, which can disenfranchise student voters. Accessibility to the polls is an issue for Duke students. Creating Duke’s own precinct that would include all of Duke’s campus in a single voting site is the best way to solve this problem. Having a precinct on campus would make it more accessible for Duke students to vote. But, why does access to the polls matter? It matters because it is our right as American citizens to partake in the democratic process and all Americans should have easy access to fulfill their civic duty. These rights apply to college students and we want to ensure that Duke students can have their voices heard in our democracy.