NC College Voter Summit
Launched in 2016, the NC College Voter Summit is the longest running state Summit in the nation focused on campus election engagement. Students, faculty, and staff who lead non-partisan, campus-wide voter engagement efforts, learn and share innovative strategies and practical information to support college voter registration, voter education, and electoral participation.
NC Campus Engagement organized the Summit from 2016 – 2018. Since 2019, the event has been co-organized and co-sponsored by members of the NC Campus Voting Coalition.
8th Annual NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM23
September 22, 2022 at Elon University
See full Summit Highlights or watch the recap video below! View the Full Agenda here.
Guest Speaker:
- Paul Cox, General Counsel – NC State Board of Elections
Topic: Key Changes in NC Voting & Election Laws
Spirit & Attendance Prize Winners
Attendance Prize
Davidson-Davie Community College
Spirit Prizes
4-year Public: Elizabeth City State University
4-year Private: Saint Augustine’s University
2-year: Davidson-Davie Community College
7th Annual NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM22
September 9, 2022 at Elon University
See full Summit Highlights. View the Full Agenda
Guest Speakers:
- Rachel Clay, Southeast Regional Manager, Campus Vote Project
Topic: “Election Integrity” - LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte City Council
Topic: “Why Midterms Matter”
Student Panelists:
- Destiny Perez, Forsyth Tech (represented community colleges)
- Odaray Mora-Morejon, High Point University (represented 4-year private/independent sector)
- Maria Garcia-Ortega, ’22 UNCW (represented the 4-year public/UNC sector)
- Moderator: Rebby Kern, Equality NC
The Summit included 14 “Hot Topics in Voting” workshop sessions. Visit the Full Agenda for the list of topics.
Congrats to the institutional prize winners listed below! Prize funds are to be used to support ongoing student voter engagement.
Most Registrations – per sector ($100 cash prize)
UNC System
NC Central University
Community College System
Forsyth Tech (2nd year in row)
Independent/Private Sector
Queens University of Charlotte
Repping ($100 cash prize)
This prize acknowledged a campus that represented their campus well throughout the Summit.
Winner: UNC Pembroke
Engagement ($100 cash prize)
This prize acknowledged a campus that demonstrated energy and engagement throughout the Summit.
Winner: Claflin University
6th Annual NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM21
September 17, 2021 [HYBRID]
All content was virtual, but campuses were encouraged to form a “Campus Huddle” with a Student Captain and Faculty/Staff Coordinator. See the Full Agenda
Guest Speakers:
- Yael Bromberg, Constitutional Rights Attorney specializing in Voting Rights and Democracy Law
- Kate Fellman, Founder & Executive Director, You Can Vote
Thanks to our partners at SLSV for facilitating a pre-conference workshop, “Op-Ed Workshop: How to Write for Student Voting Rights,” on the Tuesday before the Summit.
The event included multiple opportunities for campuses and individuals to win prizes. Congrats to the institutional winners listed below! Prize funds are to be used to support ongoing student voter engagement.
Most Registrations – per sector ($100 cash prize)
- UNC System: UNC-Chapel Hill
- Independent/Private: Wingate University
- Community College: Forsyth Tech
Campus Spirit Awards
($200 cash prize)
- Forsyth Tech
- Western Carolina University
- Instagram Creativity “People’s Choice” Prize
($100 gift card) - UNC-Asheville
2020 NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM20
September 11-12, 2020 [VIRTUAL]
Guest Speakers:
- Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director of the North Carolina Board of Elections
- Dr. Nancy Thomas, Director of the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education
2019 NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM19
September 20, 2019 [HOSTED AT ELON UNIVERSITY]
Guest Speakers:
- Allison Riggs, Senior Attorney, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Voting Rights Senior Attorney
- Jessica Holmes, Chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners
- Stacey Carless, Executive Director, NC Counts Coalition
2018 NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM18
September 15, 2018 [HOSTED AT UNC GREENSBORO]
Guest Speakers:
- Aylett Colston, Voting Rights Activist
- Dr. John Dinan, Professor, Wake Forest University
2017 NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM17
September 29, 2017 [HOSTED AT ELON UNIVERSITY]
Guest Speakers:
- Dr. Nancy Thomas, Director, Institute for Democracy and Higher Education
- Dr. David McLennan, Meredith College
- Professor Ted Shaw, UNC Center for Civil Rights, UNC School of Law
- Dr. Rick Morse, UNC School of Government
- Dr. Mark Sanders, UNC Charlotte
- Amy Chiou, #WTFwevote
2016 Inaugural NC College Voter Summit #VOTESUM16
September 16, 2016 [HOSTED AT ELON UNIVERSITY]
Guest Speakers:
- Marcus Bass, Campaign Director, Democracy NC
- Mike Burns, Director, Campus Vote Project
- Dan DeRosa, Director, NCPIRG
- Jen Jones, Communications Director, Democracy NC
- Rachel Clay, Southeast Regional Coordinator, Campus Vote Project
Questions? Contact Leslie Garvin.
