Voter Engagement at SLU Kicks Into Overdrive with Help from TurboVote

Contributions to the Common Good – one of the core principles of Catholic Social Teaching – can take many forms, but one of the most basic is voting – engaging in elections. Inspired by a national Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Conference in Indianapolis this summer, an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff returned to campus ready to partner with TurboVote, a new and growing organization that has developed a web-based tool to assist individuals with voter registration and election information.

Through the coordinated efforts of SLU’s Center for Service and Community Engagement, the university is ranked within the “Top 10” of institutions utilizing TurboVote, with more than 2,000 students, faculty, and staff having signed-up so far to use the online tool. The conference team, in turn, has joined a larger network of campus stakeholders promoting voter engagement.

As a Catholic, Jesuit institution SLU is in a unique position for students, faculty, and staff to explore the intersection of their faith and civic lives, emphasizing social justice and working to empower our communities. Voting is a central part of ensuring our voices are heard.

As a reminder, 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, is the deadline to register in Missouri in order to vote in the November election. Students who register to vote using their campus address (20 N. Grand Blvd., MSC#, St. Louis, MO 63103) will be able to vote in the Busch Student Center on Nov. 8. By using a smart phone or tablet, Missouri Voter Registration can be completed in just a few minutes, and completely online. To get the process started, simply visit slu.turbovote.org. 

For questions about TurboVote or other voter engagement efforts on campus, please contact Leah Sweetman, Ph.D., sweetman@slu.edu in the Center for Service and Community Engagement.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network has also developed a useful resource for discernment and reflection titled “An Ignatian Examen for Civic Life.” This resource is available through the Office of Campus Ministry.