As election season gets closer, ETSU Votes is becoming more engaged on campus, pushing its initiative to get as many students registered to vote as possible.
ETSU Votes is a campus coalition of students, faculty and staff dedicated to promoting voter engagement and democratic participation. To achieve this, the coalition participates in voter registration drives, hosts civic events and provides nonpartisan election information on candidates.
Sydney Gatewood, registration and marketing lead for ETSU Votes, said the coalition plans to be the most engaged on campus before the voter registration deadline on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. The coalition plans on setting up voter registration drives, during which members will have a table and laptops set up outside to help get students registered to vote.
“We try to cover Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia, because of where we are located in East Tennessee. We will have laptops ready, if people would like to register,” Gatewood said. “We’re never forcing anybody.”
Grace Burney, education lead for ETSU Votes, said the organization is committed to helping every student navigate the process.
“No matter their level of civic education or political preferences, ETSU Votes is here to guide students through the voting process,” Burney said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the November 2024 election, roughly 75% of Americans ages 65 to 74 voted. In the same election, approximately 48% of Americans ages 18 to 24 voted. ETSU Votes is aiming to lessen that 27-percentage-point gap by instilling voting habits into college-aged students that they can carry with them into their lives.
There are many reasons why this gap exists, one of which is that many students have an aversion to the political nature of voting.
“People get scared because of the political aspect, and it can draw people away. But at the end of the day, voting is amazing because you’re shaping your community and what you want to see in the world,” Gatewood said. “You’re also keeping your elected leaders accountable, because once they’re in office, you have to make sure that they’re doing what they actually set out to do and what you voted for.”
Another reason college students might stay away from political participation is that registering to vote can feel confusing or overwhelming.
“The United States has really low turnout in elections and a voting process that can be unnecessarily complicated,” Burney said, “but I think this is where civic organizations like ETSU Votes can help educate the public about this process and increase turnout.”
In addition to voter registration drives, ETSU Votes offers shuttle services for Washington County on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in which ETSU Votes advisers will drive voters to their home voting locations.
“While you can’t vote on campus, we can show you how to get the resources to vote by mail,” Gatewood said. “Voting by mail is a lot of people’s option in college.”
ETSU Votes also plans to provide nonpartisan information on election candidates.
“For students who vote in Johnson City, we are working with a local civic advocacy group on a forum for city council candidates, which is really exciting,” Burney said. “My ultimate goal for this is to not just tell students what will be on their ballot, but to help them understand why these races matter and the impact that elected officials have on our day-to-day lives.”
For students wanting more information about ETSU Votes, Joy Fulkerson, director of Leadership and Civic Engagement, can be contacted at fulkersj@etsu.edu. ETSU Votes also shares information on its Instagram page at @etsuvotes. Students can find registration information at etsu.edu/votes.
