Studies show young voters can shape election results, yet turnout often drops in non-presidential years — a trend Chapman University hopes to change. On Oct. 17, the campus came alive in the Attallah Piazza, where students enjoyed tacos, air hockey and a chance to register to vote during the Voter Registration Bash. The event, organized by Chapman’s Student Government Association (SGA) and Argyros Forum (AF) Student Union, combined a mission: boosting civic engagement among students.

The drop in voter turnout between the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms is a concern for many civic engagement groups, including Chapman, which has been recognized for its efforts to boost voter participation. Karla Monterrey, the program coordinator for the Student Union Department of Student Engagement, said that many students are first-time voters. 

"We expanded our reach in spring and fall to meet students where they are, for some this is the first time they are ever voting, so, registration is our top priority," Monterrey said. "We lean on the work of the greater Chapman community to provide students with additional educational experiences and extracurricular opportunities that expand their civic responsibilities."

Though the event featured food from the “Guac N Roll Tacos” truck and an air hockey game, the main goal was voter engagement. Chapman has made several efforts to reach students through fitness events like “Exercise Your Vote” and voter registration tables at Panther sports tournaments. The newest addition to these efforts is the "Lightning Talks," 5-minute presentations about voter registration that are given in classrooms by Student Union staff.

Addressing voter apathy, particularly in non-presidential years, is another major hurdle. 

"This is our biggest challenge and isn’t unique to Chapman students. By hosting the Voter Center at Chapman, we hope that students will be more motivated to act when the ballot boxes are easily accessible to their homes and classrooms," Monterrey said "Hopefully, they are having peer-to-peer conversations about engaging in their civic duty, not just during the presidential election season."

According to Monterrey, voting this year is especially important as many key issues like climate change, student debt and healthcare are on the ballot. By voting, students can directly impact policies that shape their future.

The bash itself was fully student-led. 

"To clarify, AF Student Union is staffed by students," Monterrey said. "All the events under the AF Student Union area are planned, staffed and coordinated by students." 

Lead Student Union Assistant Kennedy Ceman worked closely with Monterrey to organize the event. "We’ve been brainstorming this idea for over a year now and are happy that we were able to plan an event in the Piazza," Monterrey added.