Through the efforts of the Gephardt Institute, WashU Votes, and more campus partners than ever before, WashU was recognized for its efforts to inform student voters and making voting accessible.

Last week, WashU was again named a Voter Friendly Campus, one of 272 campuses in 39 states and the District of Columbia by Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The initiative recognizes institutions that have planned and implemented practices that encourage their students to register and vote. 

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Engage St. Louis

Engage Democracy

Lead Change

"314 Day" is an unofficial holiday to celebrate St. Louis each year on March 14, a date chosen because 314 is the phone number area code for St. Louis. In our new video, released on 314 Day, WashU students participating in Gephardt Institute programs share their advice to other students for engaging with St. Louis, and some reasons why they love our city. Click to watch.

During Civic Action Week last month, Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science Honors Society, and Alpha Psi Lambda hosted a screening of the film "Borderland: The Line Within" and a Q&A with the films' producers. 

The Gephardt Institute for Civic Engagement kicked off its third annual Civic Action Week, a weeklong initiative that highlights civic engagement opportunities throughout WashU in partnership with campus and community partners, on Feb. 17. 

Throughout the week, different student groups, faculty, staff, and community partners hosted events and other opportunities for participants to learn and engage. The initiative, which is generously supported by The Women’s Society of Washington University, offers students a creative and engaging suite of opportunities to understand their civic journey, learn more about critical issues, and build connections for future work. 

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There are countless reasons WashU is so special. On April 9, the university will once again come together as One WashU to celebrate every one of them with a 24-hour fundraising push.

Giving Day is a great opportunity Gephardt Institute programs — including Civic Scholars,
St. Louis Fellows, WashU Votes, the St. Louis Impact Fund, Civic Café, and more — that rely on the generosity of our supporters. 

Supporting civic engagement during Giving Day is easy: Simply make a gift of any amount to any area before midnight on April 9. Your contribution will help WashU reach a goal of 3,000 donors, unlock a $250,000 challenge gift — and make a world of difference for our Gephardt programs and WashU students, faculty, and researchers.

Members of WashU Votes prepare to "Canvass the Campus" and urge students to vote last fall prior to the November General Election. WashU Votes' outreach efforts have expanded beyond the campus to register and inform voters in the St. Louis region.

WashU Votes is a student-led committee within the Gephardt Institute that promotes voter engagement and education among undergraduates. By joining, students carry out a broad strategy for voter engagement, which reaches across campus and into the St. Louis community. 

“Our core mission in WashU Votes is to help students engage in the political process,” said Sophie Jeffers ‘25, former WashU Votes Outreach Chair. “But the political process 

spans far beyond the campus of WashU.” 

“It has been an increasing priority of the group to get students off campus,” said WashU Votes co-chair Marcellus Thorsen. “A critical part of our civic and voter engagement mission is interacting with the community. We’re working to get involved with the local groups and people who are working to make St. Louis a more civically minded and interconnected place to live.” 

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Community engagement comes in all sizes and shapes — and is supported by many levels of funding. 

The St. Louis Impact Fund — a series of grants from the Gephardt Institute — aims to connect students with community partners across the St. Louis region. As part of these programs, in 2024, the Gephardt Institute supported five short-term, student-led projects that worked in partnership with a local nonprofit or civic organization. 

"When students conduct these projects, they are committed to exploring a kind of learning that happens outside of the four walls of the classroom,” said Sam Babb, Associate Director for Community Engagement at the Gephardt Institute. “They gain skills around bringing projects to life that have real opportunities for impact and collaboration outside of the WashU campus.”  

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FIND YOUR BALLOT

ABSENTEE VOTING
BY STATE

REGISTER TO VOTE

MISSOURI VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS

Upcoming Elections in the St. Louis Region:

Missouri No Excuse, In Person Absentee Voting (Early Voting):

Two weeks before each Missouri election, voters may cast their ballot at a variety of locations in their voting jurisdiction. St. Louis City voters may find locations here; St. Louis County voters may find locations here. 

Elections in Other Counties and States:

If you vote outside of St. Louis, you may have upcoming elections. Click here to see what elections are scheduled in your home state. 

Find more voting resources at vote.washu.edu

Voter Friendly Campus
Photo by Brandon Juarez-Ramos '28

Small Grants Funding
Story By Marley Wiemers '25

WashU Votes in St. Louis
Story By Marley Wiemers '25

314 Day Video
Filmed and Produced by Maggie Lu '26

The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement supports our students to become engaged civic leaders through gifts from our community.

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Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
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