Voting Is a Fundamental Right
Voting is one of the most fundamental rights in a democratic society. We encourage all students to exercise their right to vote. Election@Bard is a student-led initiative that helps students register to vote, provides information about candidates, hosts forums in which candidates and students can meet, and protects the rights of students to vote and have their votes counted. Since 2014, Election@Bard has fought for Bardians' right to vote under the leadership of undergraduate students selected by the Center for Civic Engagement and the Andrew Goodman Foundation.
Learn about the history of voting rights on college campuses in the book Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses.
This summer, Bard CCE is partnering with voting organizations across the US on the Summer Voting Rights Course and Democracy Training.
Voting is one of the most fundamental rights in a democratic society. We encourage all students to exercise their right to vote. Election@Bard is a student-led initiative that helps students register to vote, provides information about candidates, hosts forums in which candidates and students can meet, and protects the rights of students to vote and have their votes counted. Since 2014, Election@Bard has fought for Bardians' right to vote under the leadership of undergraduate students selected by the Center for Civic Engagement and the Andrew Goodman Foundation.
Learn about the history of voting rights on college campuses in the book Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses.
This summer, Bard CCE is partnering with voting organizations across the US on the Summer Voting Rights Course and Democracy Training.
Resnick Family Gatehouse, where the Bard CCE office is located.
Register to Vote
Whether you're voting on campus or in your hometown, we're here to help. Find the links to voter registration forms and instructions on how to fill them out below. Once you've completed the form, print it out, sign it in blue or black ink, and deliver it to the Bard Center for Civic Engagement Gate House through campus mail (no stamp required) or at the Registration Form Dropbox. We'll deliver them to the appropriate Board of Elections for you.
Here's how you can get started:
Vote by Mail
Voting by mail is a great option if you choose to stay registered in your home-town or don't feel comfortable voting in person this year.
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Getting Started
- Make sure you are registered to vote. Check your registration status
- If it says you aren't registered that may be because you registered recently. The database takes some time to update. If you have never registered before click here.
- If you are already registered to vote you can request your absentee ballot. Follow the instructions below.
Get Involved
The History of Voting Rights at Bard
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Photo by Jonathan Asiedu ’24. -
Bard students, faculty, and staff have worked to secure equal access to the ballot for more than two decades. Read about the court decisions, watch videos, and understand more about the history of campus election advocacy.
Follow us on Instagram
Follow @electionatbard to stay up to date on our events and pop-ups!
Questions?
We're here to help.
Get in touch with us at [email protected]. You can also visit us at the Resnick Family Gatehouse, off of Cruger Road, during our Office Hours!
Election@Bard Student Leadership
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Sierra Ford'26Lead Campus Initiatives InternSierra Ford'26
Sierra is majoring in Political Studies and Sociology in the hopes that she can use her education to continue to continue the work around educating today’s youth on the most relevant and pressing political issues. Through her work with Election@Bard, she is fulfilling both a personal mission and a societal necessity as she works with the Election@Bard Intern team to find ways to increase youth representation in the American electorate. Sierra looks forward to bridging the gap between young collegiate voters and the American electoral process. -
Ella Walko'26Co-Lead Campus Initiatives InternElla Walko'26
Ella is currently majoring in Politics and hoping to pursue law school after graduation. She has long been committed to young people making their voices heard, and is excited to continue working towards increased voter education and participation on college campuses. Through her work at Election@Bard, she has successfully combined her academic interests with her personal commitment to democratic participation, working with the rest of the team to build engagement and civic community on Bard’s campus and beyond. -
Yale Coopersmith'26Campus Initiatives InternYale Coopersmith'26
Yale is a Written Arts major (and earning her Certificate of Civic Engagement) who is dedicated to helping people understand the power of their voices and their vote. During her time with Election@Bard, Yale has worked to be a friendly face students can turn to for any question they need answered about the voting process, or politics in general. She believes that everyone deserves a place at the table of the American political process, and hopes that her work with Election@Bard will inform and inspire her peers to take an active role in the shaping of our democracy. -
Fiona Flynn, MAT ‘26Campus Initiatives InternFiona Flynn, MAT ‘26
Fiona graduated from Bard in May of 2025 with a degree in French and Written Arts, but has stayed to complete a Masters of Arts in Teaching, specializing in ELA. She has worked for Election@Bard since her junior year, but has always been passionate about civic engagement, a passion sparked by her town councilwoman mother in her childhood. Fiona loves to learn from her work with the Bard community, as well as from her fellow team members every day. -
Malena Perez Diaz'27Campus Initiatives InternMalena Perez Diaz'27
Malena is majoring in Art History & Visual Culture with a second focus in Anthropology with intentions of continuing her studies in Art Conservation and Restoration. Through her creative pursuits, she strives to use art as an outlet for political literacy, exposure and accessibility in the youth. In her third year with Election@Bard, she’s excited to continue fostering the use of art in political education.
Election News from The Daily Catch!
Election News
Bard Student Yale Coopersmith ’26 Recognized as ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Award Recipient
Yale Coopersmith ’26, a senior at Bard College, has been included in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s honor roll as a leader in nonpartisan campus civic engagement for her dedicated work with Election@Bard. Coopersmith was one of 168 students across the country who was recognized for contributions to creating a more civically engaged culture within their campus communities.
Bard Student Yale Coopersmith ’26 Recognized as ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Award Recipient
Yale Coopersmith ’26.
“I am honored to be on the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Honor Roll,” Coopersmith said. “I have worked tirelessly to ensure that students feel empowered to make their voices heard at the polls. Every voice and every voter matters in every election, and it has been the honor of my life to give students what they need to vote successfully.”
Election@Bard is a student-led initiative that helps students register to vote, provides information about candidates, hosts forums in which candidates and students can meet, and protects the rights of students to vote and have their votes counted. Since 2014, Election@Bard has fought for Bardians' right to vote under the leadership of undergraduate students selected by the Center for Civic Engagement and the Andrew Goodman Foundation.
“Yale is a model student whose engagement and enthusiasm is infectious,” said Jonathan Becker, director of Bard Center for Civic Engagement. “We are proud of the work she has done with Election@Bard. A well deserved honor from ALL IN recognizing her four year commitment in the voter advocacy space.”
ALL IN supports more than 1,000 campuses and 10 million students nationally to make nonpartisan civic engagement an ongoing part of campus life. Members of the 2026 Student Voting Honor Roll were nominated by campus leaders for their dedication and excellence in voter education, registration and turnout in 2025.
Post Date: 04-20-2026
National Summer Course and Training Launches with 15+ Partner Organizations to Educate the Next Generation of Students in Voting Rights & Democracy
Bard College’s Center for Civic Engagement announces the expansion of its youth voting rights work.
More News
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“New York colleges can do better by student voters”: Jonathan Becker and Sierra Ford ’26 Pen Op-Ed in Times Union
“New York colleges can do better by student voters”: Jonathan Becker and Sierra Ford ’26 Pen Op-Ed in Times Union
“American democracy is in trouble.” In an op-ed for the Times Union, Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, and Sierra Ford ’26, coleader of Election@Bard and president of Bard Student Government, advocate for the passage of Student Voter Empowerment Act, a bill which “seeks to foster informed student electoral participation by requiring New York institutions of higher learning to systematize and expand their engagement with student voters.” After federal encroachment on nonpartisan efforts to engage student voters, Becker and Ford believe that the Student Voter Empowerment Act could serve as a state-level corrective, increasing civic engagement and young voter turnout. “New York’s college students are our country’s future engaged citizens and leaders,” they write. “The Legislature and governor should respond to the current moment by passing the Student Voter Empowerment Act.”L–R: Jonathan Becker and Sierra Ford ’26.
Post Date: 03-17-2026
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Jonathan Becker and Sierra Ford ’26 Discuss the Student Voter Empowerment Act on WAMC’s The Roundtable
Jonathan Becker and Sierra Ford ’26 Discuss the Student Voter Empowerment Act on WAMC’s The Roundtable
“If we believe in the future of our country is in young people, we want to get them involved in the democratic process, and voting is the core expression of democracy,” Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, said on WAMC’s The Roundtable. Appearing alongside Sierra Ford ’26, coleader of Election@Bard and president of Bard Student Government, the two discussed the Student Voter Empowerment Act and the challenges facing nonpartisan efforts to increase student participation in democracy. Ford said that young people feel a certain sense of “nihilism” around the state of democracy: “But I want to be very clear that that nihilism is not apathy. That's still a feeling towards democracy. There is a desire to participate, but they’re disenchanted with certain politicians and really turned off by how partisan and how hostile things have become over the course of years.” The Student Voter Empowerment Act, which Becker and Ford have endorsed and hope will pass, would partner with colleges and universities across New York State, distributing voting rights educational materials, upcoming deadlines, information on local candidates, and more. Becker said that it would not be cost prohibitive for institutions to enact these changes. “The question is, are you investing in your future citizens?” he said. “Are you investing in democracy?”Jonathan Becker (left) and Sierra Ford ’26 (right) in the WAMC studio. Photo courtesy WAMC
Post Date: 03-17-2026
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Bard Vice President Jonathan Becker Spoke at Book Talk About Youth Voter Suppression
Bard Vice President Jonathan Becker Spoke at Book Talk About Youth Voter Suppression
Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, joined constitutional rights litigator Yael Bromberg for a book talk at the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Becker and Bromberg discussed how college students nationwide face obstacles to voting and how campus communities and litigation have been used to expand access for young voters. The event was hosted by the Institute for Data, Democracy and Politics and moderated by Bard alumnus Ethan Porter ’07, codirector of the institute.Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement.
Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses, edited by Becker and Bromberg, offers a new approach to teaching the history of the struggle for the fundamental right to vote in the US. “The book is about voting, but to me, it’s really about resisting authoritarianism and agency,” Becker said.
Post Date: 01-27-2026
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Article by Jonathan Becker, Erin Cannan, and Yael Bromberg Featured in Times Higher Education
Article by Jonathan Becker, Erin Cannan, and Yael Bromberg Featured in Times Higher Education
A new article coauthored by Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, Erin Cannan, vice president for Civic Engagement at Bard, and constitutional rights litigator Yael Bromberg, has been published in Times Higher Education. The article, “US Universities Must Do All They Can to Counter Voter Suppression,” addresses how US youth aged 18 to 24 are underrepresented in registered voter numbers, at nearly 30 percent fewer than older age groups, and calls on institutions of higher education to develop integrated plans to promote student voting. Universities and other institutions should “explicitly support student voting as a core part of their educational and democratic missions,” the authors write. “They should reject calls for ‘neutrality’ that imply disengagement and passivity, and they should develop integrated plans to promote and defend student voting.”L–R: Jonathan Becker, vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement, and Erin Cannan, vice president for Civic Engagement.
Post Date: 12-10-2025
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Bard College Student Sierra Ford ’26 Featured in the Stennis Center's Public Service Review
Bard College Student Sierra Ford ’26 Featured in the Stennis Center's Public Service Review
Bard student Sierra Ford ’26 has been featured in the latest Public Service Review, a publication run by the Stennis Center for Public Service, a federal agency which provides leadership training to young people interested in careers in public service. Ford’s article, “Bard College's Battle for the Ballot Box: A Story of an Institution's Pursuit for Democracy,” details the history of student voter participation at the College, where she currently leads Election@Bard and works to increase voter turnout and support a campus culture rooted in civic engagement. “I have always been struck by my institution’s willingness to take on daunting legal processes for the protection of student voting rights,” Ford writes in the Review. She has also collaborated with New York legislators and voting coalitions to advance policies that protect young voters. After graduation, Sierra plans to continue advancing youth civic participation and public policy, with a focus on expanding democratic access for marginalized communities.Sierra Ford ’26.
Post Date: 12-09-2025
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Jonathan Becker’s New Book on Youth Voting Rights Featured in Multiple Publications
Jonathan Becker’s New Book on Youth Voting Rights Featured in Multiple Publications
Jonathan Becker, vice president for Academic Affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, has recently published articles and received coverage in multiple media outlets about his new book, Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses. The book, coedited by Becker and constitutional rights attorney Yael Bromberg, uses the history of the 26th Amendment and the ongoing fight to promote and defend youth voting rights as a prism through which to teach the history of the struggle for the fundamental right to vote in the United States. The book focuses on case studies of four institutions —Tuskegee University, Prairie View A&M University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Bard College—which offer unique insights into the role of college communities in the fight for suffrage, and their contributions to the evolution of the right to vote.Jonathan Becker, vice president for Academic Affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard.
On November 18 at 5 pm, Upstate Films at the Starr Theater in Rhinebeck is hosting a special multi-media presentation of the book. Free tickets here.
WAMC’s Roundtable: Jonathan Becker's new book is Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses
Inside Higher Ed: 4 Times Colleges Led the Fight for Voting Rights
Talking Points Memo: Inside the GOP’s Assault on Youth Voting Rights
The Nation: The Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses
Post Date: 11-18-2025
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Ella Walko ’26 Recognized for Voter Registration, Education, and Turnout Efforts
Ella Walko ’26 Recognized for Voter Registration, Education, and Turnout Efforts
Ella Walko ’26.Walko ’26 Is One of 232 College Students Nationwide Recognized for Their Nonpartisan Voter Registration and Turnout Successes in 2024
Bard College and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) honored Ella Walko ’26 as part of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education and turnout efforts in their communities. Ella Walko ’26 is one of 232 students who mobilized their fellow students to make their voices heard in a historic election cycle. At Bard, Walko is majoring in politics with a concentration in gender and sexuality studies. She is actively involved with Election@Bard, a student-led initiative that helps students register to vote, provides information about candidates, hosts forums in which candidates and students can meet, and protects the rights of students to vote and have their votes counted.
“The Bard Center for Civic Engagement chose to honor Ella on the All-In Student Honor Roll because she exemplifies all of the best qualities of a Bard student,” said Sarah deVeer ’17, Bard CCE Outreach Coordinator Special Events Administrator. “Ella is a dynamic and consistently hardworking leader, who has risen to meet the needs of her generation through her work on the Election@Bard team. Ella is one of the most communicative, intentional, and collaborative forces of a student that I have had the pleasure of working with. We look forward to seeing where Ella's post-Bard journey takes her.”
“I am honored to receive this award, but what is even more gratifying is working alongside my peers and team members to build an informed, engaged, and civically active community,” said Walko. “I’m so proud of our efforts this past year and all we’ve been able to accomplish!”
“Whether they hosted nonpartisan voter registration drives or early voting celebrations, the students honored today made sure their peers did not sleep in on Election Day,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “With 100,000 local elections happening across the country in 2025, ALL IN students continue to ensure that everyone on their campuses has the information they need to cast their ballot. The 232 Student Voting Honor Roll honorees lead by example, making nonpartisan voter participation a lifelong habit for themselves and their peers.”
A recent survey from CIRCLE found that 48% of under-35 youth who did not vote in 2024 heard little or nothing at all about how to vote, compared to the 15% of under-35 youth who cast their ballots. By integrating nonpartisan voter registration and education into campus life, colleges and universities can have a measurable impact in encouraging students to become active and engaged citizens.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, voter participation and ongoing engagement in our democracy on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join ALL IN here.
Post Date: 04-10-2025
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Pavlina Tcherneva Writes Levy Policy Note on Election Outcome
Pavlina Tcherneva Writes Levy Policy Note on Election Outcome
Pavlina Tcherneva, president of the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College, professor of economics, and director of OSUN’s Economic Democracy Initiative, posted a policy note on the outcome of the US presidential election and how many Americans voted for progressive policies, such as state ballot measures to increase minimum wage and require paid sick leave, despite Donald Trump having won the presidential bid. She addresses how numerous issues, including economic concerns, wages, immigration policy, and reproductive health rights, among many other factors, affected the way voters responded, particularly in states that voted Republican. “All polls—whatever one’s feelings about their reliability—kept pointing to the same defining issue in this (as in every other) election: the economy,” writes Tcherneva. “Critical issues of democracy, abortion, and immigration filled the airwaves and political speeches, but the economy remained once again more powerful than any one of them.”Pavlina Tcherneva.
Post Date: 11-12-2024
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Election Day on Bard’s Campus Featured in Inside Higher Ed
Election Day on Bard’s Campus Featured in Inside Higher Ed
Bard College, now in its fifth year of having a consistent polling site on its Annandale campus, was featured in Inside Higher Ed (IHE) in a report about how campuses and faculty across the country are handling classes on Election Day. At least 86 colleges and universities have canceled classes to facilitate voting, according to Day on Democracy, an organization that helps students advocate for their institutions to give them Election Day off, IHE reports. Today, a group of professors at Bard are opening their classrooms for discussions about the importance of democracy, and are joining attendees for a walk to the campus polling site to support those who are voting. “Many faculty members see a fundamental link between higher education and democracy, that it’s a fundamental pillar of liberal education in the United States,” said Jonathan Becker, executive vice president of Bard College and director of the Center for Civic Engagement. “What more important act for an educator is [there than] to speak about the most fundamental democratic rights, which is the right to vote?”Election@Bard, November 2023. Photo by Jonathan Asiedu ’24
Post Date: 11-05-2024