A Webinar Focuses on Getting Students Out to Vote and Involved in the Census

Dafney Amilcar-Rodriguez, UAlbany bursar and president of the Omicron Epsilon Zeta (Capital Region) Chapter of the century-old Zeta Phi Beta sorority, holds up a U.S. Census envelope during the webinar promoting voting and filling out of the Census.

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 12, 2020) — The need for university students to participate in the vote and the U.S. Census, and the enhanced ways to do so, were presented last Monday by UAlbany faculty and administrators, along with area officials, at a College of Arts & Sciences Public Engagement-sponsored Zoom webinar, “Voter Registration + Training & Census 2020.”

The 90-minute event featured questions from moderator Andrea Lee, director of Voter Services for the Albany County chapter of the League of Women Voters, and from UAlbany students — all posed to a panel consisting of:

• Cheryl Simmons ’09, assistant director of UAlbany’s Center for Leadership and Service
• Catherine Lawson, associate professor of Geography & Planning
• Julia Jennings, assistant professor of Anthropology
• Eva Bass, community outreach coordinator for the Office of the Mayor in Albany
• Zoe Bevelle, partnership specialist for the Albany County New York Regional Census Center, and
• Carolyn McLaughlin, an Albany County legislator

Lee pointed out in opening remarks that, of the approximately 80,000 eligible voters in Albany County, between 25,000 and 30,000 eligible did not vote in 2016, and only 12,000 cast ballots in the last mayor’s race. Given those numbers, the panelists all centered on making Census and voting information more accessible to a greater number of UAlbany students.

Simmons said a key to making unengaged students into engaged student voters is “starting the conversation early in a student’s life,” she said. “We can show where the answers lie, and who has the power to make decisions on issues you care about.” She pointed to the new UAlbany Votes website as one resource that can educate and energize potential new voters.

Jennings stressed the many ways that participation in the Census are important to researchers who inform the citizenry. “In my own research, I use the Census data to understand changes in health and wellbeing over time. When we talk about health research and health data, Census data is fundamental.” She said that if one wanted to contribute to the social science research that moves decision makers, “the Census is a quick and easy way to get that done.”

Bevelle pointed out the basic fact that legislative representation for one’s state and region is based on the numbers tabulated by the Census. “The 10 minutes you spend on filling out your Census form is going to affect the next 10 years of your life,” she said.

Lawson said that voter participation would be greatly improved if New York moved to the “voting by mail” method used by Oregon. “New York to this point is only just allowing citizens to ask for an absentee vote without ‘excuses.’ A modern voting program like VBM would have many benefits for New Yorkers.”

In addition to the panelists and their home units, contributors to the webinar included:

• Zeta Phi Beta’s Omicron Epsilon Zeta Chapter (of the Capital District)
• New York Regional Census Center
• Albany County Legislator
• UAlbany Votes
• Generation Vote
• CAS Public Engagement Advisory Committee

Debernee Privott, CAS assistant dean for Public Engagement, praised the participants, including the many students who sent in questions, and the opening remarks from both President Rodríguez and CAS Interim Dean Jeanette Altarriba.

“Considering that it has been 100 years since the League of Women Voters and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. were founded — in 1920, the same year women were granted the right to vote — this collaboration on this webinar program was very fitting as we seek to encourage every eligible voter to be registered and to vote,” said Privott.

“We appreciate all partners who have shared this message as well as the need for each individual to be counted in the 2020 Census in order to secure necessary resources for the community."

The entire webinar may be viewed here.

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