Rice students mobilize to run university’s on-campus polling station
An Election Day polling station located in the Rice University football stadium will be staffed entirely by students.
Rice students, faculty and staff, say they were motivated to take action this year after multiple police brutality cases across the country and heightened awareness about social justice issues.
“My No. 1 goal was to make sure students were running the polling station,” said Rice junior Mason Reece.
Reece, 20, has been a mobilizing force on campus ensuring students are involved in the voting process. Inspired by his interest in election administration, the social policy analysis and political science major will serve as one of the first election judges for the campus polling site in several years.
His vision for Rice stemmed from his desire to promote civic engagement among his peers
and to alleviate some of the polling issues students have previously faced.
Rice students and staff have said some past poll workers at the campus polling site weren’t educated on laws or rights regarding student voting and that there was often confusion regarding how to treat out- of-state licenses or identification, which is common among Rice students who come from all over the country. Reece hopes to alleviate that this year by having students serve as leaders at the poll.
“Voting is one of the most actionable things a person can do to make an impact on the community and make an impact on the government,” Reece said.
About 30 students have already volunteered to work the polls in shifts lasting at least three-and-a-half hours during early voting days, which will be overseen by another presiding election judge, Tracy Brown, Reece said.
On Election Day, Reece will run the show — answering questions on voting and election law or code if any issues arise, he said. It’s a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly.
“In someways, knowing that is intimidating, but it’s also really exciting. That makes this position a chance to promote the right to vote, and as long as we can do that, I’ll be plenty satisfied,” he said. “Even with the pressure that comes with the position.”
Rice senior and student poll worker Lauren Biegel said it’s gratifying to be able to help “provide a less confusing space” for those who vote this year, especially considering the added difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a big election,” said Biegel, who will vote in a presidential election for the first time this year. “This is a really cool opportunity for students to go beyond just voting or registering people to vote. We emphasize your civic duty and say ‘go vote,’ but I think this is a cool opportunity to go a step farther than that.”
Student organizations and campus stakeholders have also worked to register around 80 percent of Rice’s eligible students to vote, said Elizabeth Vann, director of programs and partnerships at Rice’s Center for Civic Leadership. More than 800 Rice students have signed onto the online voting platform TurboVote since the summer and more than 500 have requested materials through the system, she added.
Rice’s athletics department and its student athletes have also helped lead the charge.
J.P. Aber crumbie, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Rice’s athletics department, said student athletes and coaches have been eager to learn more about the significance of voting and the process since earlier this summer following the death of George Floyd.
“From an athletic standpoint, there was a need there. Students and coaches were saying, ‘Here’s something we’re passionate about. How can we navigate this? How can we learn more?’ ” Abercrumbie said.
Ace Castillo, a junior on Rice’s men’s cross country and track and field teams, launched an athletic voting initiative and worked with the Center for Civil Leadership in the hope of getting every eligible Rice student-athlete registered to vote, regardless of their party preference, he said.
“To me, this is how you can voice your concerns when you do not agree with your politicians or elected officials,” Castillo, 20, said. “That’s the beauty of democracy. We have that right. We can vote for the people who best represent us.”
Considering the need to socially distance amid the pandemic, Abercrumbie reasoned that the largest and most friendly oncampus locations were the athletic facilities — spaces that student athletes, coaches and sports fans were already familiar with.
“What better way to use the space that’s traditionally used for cheering and promoting,” Abercrumbie said. “Now, we will use that space to support the community in completing our civic responsibility.”
Abercrumbie quickly pro--posed using both Rice Stadium, the university’s football facility, and Reckling Park, the baseball facility, as this year’s new polling sites, which was officially approved this week. The football stadium will serve as the primary voting location, including on Election Day. Reckling Park will serve as an alternative for early voting when football games are hosted within the stadium.
Campus-wide initiative RICEngaged, a coalition of students, faculty, and staff, has also been working to engage students and educate them about the democratic process, fueling on- campus movements with a blueprint or action plan created last spring, Vann said. The efforts will extend beyond the election and throughout the academic year.
“Historically, there’s been lots of folks on campus — students and faculty in particular — who have been involved in student voter registration (and education). This is really an effort to bring all of those together with clear goals with a bigger vision. Yes, there’s a big election happening, but how do we think beyond individual elections and think of sustained action?” Vann said. “Elections are inflection points, not the end game.”
In the weeks leading up to the election, Reece will coordinate with Rice administration and student groups to focus on how to boost voter turnout and civic engagement among the student body, with emphasis on education of the voting process itself, he said.
“I want students to have clear information and to make sure they’re comfortable, confident and know what to expect.”