ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The University of Michigan is finding new ways to get students to the polls.
Associate professor Stephanie Rowden said through research, she found that students were encountering a variety of barriers when it came to voting.
In 2014, only 16.5% of students voted, although nearly 70% were registered.
"To us, that indicated an interest in voting, but something was happening between the intent to vote and following through," said Rowden, a professor for the STAMP school of art and design.
Rowden recruited a group of students to re-imagine the voter experience, so students would start showing up.
The very first Creative Campus Voting Project launched onto the scene right before the 2018 midterms. That year, voter participation jumped more than 30% and in 2020, it soared to nearly 80%.
Now in 2022, the idea has been refined and continues to expand in scope and design.
This year's entrance to the voting space has a vinyl floor graphic that's inspired by an actual ballot.
Sky Christoph, one of the student designers, says he wanted to make sure the process was clear, concise and playful.
"Like a pop-up book, making certain parts of the ballot stand out very physically," Christoph said.
This installation is located in a building on campus commonly known as "The Dude" and there is also one set up in the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Christoph has been working on this project since 2020. Being a young voter himself, he found the process to be intimidating and a bit stressful.
"I think the pressure I felt when I voted in person was that there were people behind me and they were waiting and I needed to hurry up," Christoph said.
Whether you've come to the space to register or just vote, taking your time is encouraged.
If you have questions on a given race or a government function, you can likely find the answer in the room.
"We really wanted to encourage students to participate in down-ballot voting and vote for those local positions that they may overlook, especially with it being a midterm," said Ben Leavitt, who helped draw up the language for the installations.
Students can pick up a guidebook to navigate the space or even chat with an Ann Arbor city clerk. The clerks can help students register, request a ballot and vote.
It also features peer mentors and installations, including a 35-foot immersive “ballot wayfinder.”
"It's helping students understand that it's not a test," Rowden said. "They don't have to vote on everything, but actually there are resources for them to understand how to connect what they care about with what is on the ballot."
Christoph says there is no agenda pushing. An integral part of the project was non-partisanship.
"It is about helping students understand that they do have a voice in our democracy," Christoph said.
Rowden says ultimately, it's a safe space for everyone to learn together.
"I think it's really tapping into our human desire to be connected to each other," said Rowden.
If you'd like more information on the Creative Campus Voting Project, visit the group's website.
