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Michigan Campus Voting Challenge

Michigan Campus Voting Challenge logo

Michigan Campus Voting Challenge

Is your school up for the challenge?

The Michigan Campus Voting Challenge is a nonpartisan competition geared toward increasing student voter participation and engagement on college and university campuses across the state. Part of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, the competition is open to any post-secondary higher education institution in Michigan. Four-year and two-year schools will each battle it out to win up to three awards:

  • Highest campus voter turnout
  • Most improved campus voter turnout
  • Highest student voter registration rate

Join the Challenge

Actions to prepare for the upcoming state, local, primary and midterm elections

  1. Join the Michigan Campus Voting Challenge if your institution isn’t already participating. Visit the ALL IN website for a list of participating campuses.
  2. Develop a campus nonpartisan civic engagement action plan using these action planning resources.
  3. Submit your action plan to ALL IN. ALL IN has three action plan submission opportunities during each two-year election cycle. The 2026 action plan submission opportunities are: May 31, 2026, Oct. 1, 2026.
  4. Authorize the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) housed at the CIRCLE at Tufts University to receive campus voting reports every two years. Check if your institution has authorized NSLVE.
  5. Encourage your campus president or chancellor to join more than 700 senior campus leaders by signing ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents' Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.

Resources to support campus nonpartisan democratic engagement

Past challenge winners

    • Albion College
    • Central Michigan University
    • College for Creative Studies
    • Delta College
    • Eastern Michigan University
    • Grand Rapids Community College
    • Grand Valley State University
    • Kalamazoo College
    • Lake Michigan College
    • Michigan State University
    • Michigan Technological University
    • Oakland University
    • Saginaw Valley State University
    • Southwestern Michigan College
    • University of Michigan Ann Arbor
    • University of Michigan-Dearborn
    • University of Michigan-Flint
    • Washtenaw Community College
    • Wayne State University
    • Western Michigan University

  • Four-year institutions

    Highest voting rate: University of Michigan-Flint

    Highest voter registration rate: University of Michigan-Flint

    Most improved voting rate: Saginaw Valley State University

    Community colleges

    Highest voting rate: Washtenaw Community College

    Highest voter registration rate: Delta College

    Most improved voting rate: Macomb Community College

  • Four-year institutions

    Highest voter registration award: University of Michigan-Flint

    Highest voter turnout award: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

    Most improved voter turnout award: Michigan State University

    Best campus democratic engagement action plan award: Grand Valley State University

    Two-year institutions

    Highest voter registration award: Delta College

    Highest voter turnout award: Muskegon Community College

    Most improved voter turnout award: Lansing Community College

    Best campus democratic engagement action plan award: Delta College

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

  • Any 4-year or 2-year post-secondary institution in Michigan may sign up.

  • There are three award categories for both 4-year institutions and 2-year institutions, awarded based on student voter participation in the November 2020 election, using data from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE):

    • Highest campus voter turnout
    • Most improved campus voter turnout
    • Highest student voter registration rate.

    NSLVE reports are generated by the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University.

  • Yes, schools can register for the Michigan Collegiate Voting Challenge at no cost.

  • Institutions that opt in will be provided guidance and tools to create an action plan for increasing student engagement on their campus.

  • The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national nonpartisan nonprofit that works in partnership with numerous local and national nonpartisan organizations in the Student Learn Students Vote coalition, which has more than 400 members. Participation in the Michigan Challenge will automatically include participation in the national ALL IN Challenge and awards competition.