Written By Lexx Thornton
Student leaders at THEE Jackson State University (JSU) have launched an ambitious, unified campaign aimed at tackling voter apathy among the Millennial and Gen Z student body. The initiative seeks to bring all student voter registration efforts under one umbrella to promote consistent civic engagement.
The central goal is to use innovative, non-partisan educational tactics and consistent information campaigns to highlight the powerful link between self-development, economic progression, and civic engagement.
Organizers recognize that many younger generations, particularly African Americans, often feel that politics is not a viable means to effect change, a sentiment rooted in historical disenfranchisement.
The campaign directly addresses this by promoting political participation and clarifying the American democratic process. Leaders intend to combat notions like “politics is irrelevant” by defining Democratic Elitism—the philosophical idea that citizens have a constitutional duty to select representatives (the ‘elites’) to enact change on their behalf. The message is clear: students are always afforded an opportunity to engage politically, and their ballot is the minimum duty required to shape society.
The initiative places high expectations on its student organizers to execute a comprehensive strategy. Their commitment involves:
- Voter Registration: Unifying efforts to properly register voters, maintain registry records, and distribute necessary voter ID cards on campus.
- Civic Education: Educating citizens on the design of America’s political process and the inherent civic duty associated with it.
- Encouraging Engagement: Working to obtain consistent student and community participation in local, state, and national elections.
To facilitate engagement, the campaign will regularly share Election Cycle calendars specific to Mississippi and other states with high JSU student populations.
Ultimately, the organizers believe that when JSU’s student citizens combine an accurate understanding of their role in democracy with knowledge of election cycles, civic engagement will increase. This higher level of participation is expected to result in the election of candidates who are more attuned to the needs of the broader citizenry, thereby effectuating genuine socio-political change.
