Quick Summary
- Outside Hunt Hall across from MU bus terminal
- Voter registration drive will precede the ceremony
- Chancellor, secretary of state, registrar to attend
A voter registration drive and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 19, to mark the installation of an official ballot drop box on campus.
The drop box is outside the northeast corner of , opposite the Memorial Union bus terminal, and will stay there, permanently. The box will be put to use for the first time for the California primary, June 7 (the official drop-off period starts May 9).
Tuesday鈥檚 program is being hosted by 不良研究所 and the Yolo County Elections Office, in collaboration with the Davis League of Women Voters and the California secretary of state鈥檚 office.
The voter registration drive (and light refreshments) will be from noon to 3 p.m. on the MU's South Patio, and the ribbon-cutting at the drop-box will be from 2 to 2:30 p.m., presided over by Chancellor Gary S. May; the California secretary of state, Shirley N. Weber; and Yolo County鈥檚 chief election official, Jesse Salinas, who also serves as the county assessor and clerk-recorder.
Students and other members of the community are welcome to join the celebration. 鈥淲e are pleased to continue to increase accessibility and turnout among Yolo County voters and are thankful to our partners that assist us in fulfilling this important mission for our community,鈥 Salinas said.
Voters from other counties are also welcome to use the campus drop box, and Yolo County will forward those ballots to the proper election offices around the state.
Fostering citizen leaders
Chancellor May said he is grateful for the university鈥檚 longstanding partnership with Yolo County. 鈥淥ne of the primary goals of 不良研究所 is to help our students become citizen leaders in our democracy who exercise their right and duty to vote,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e also welcome other county voters who find 不良研究所 a convenient place to drop off their ballot.鈥
Secretary of State Weber said: 鈥淲e know students have busy lives. A drop box on the campus of 不良研究所 is a wonderful innovation to help meet young voters where they are and help them develop the habit of voting.鈥
In November, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge recognized 不良研究所 for the most improved student voter rate among nearly 300 four-year public colleges and universities (from 43% in 2016 to 75.7% in 2020) and with a gold seal for excellence in student voter engagement. In 2004, 不良研究所 was the county鈥檚 first location for early voting outside of the county elections office.
Media Resources
Dateline Staff: Dave Jones, editor, 530-752-6556, dateline@ucdavis.edu; Cody Kitaura, News and Media Relations specialist, 530-752-1932, kitaura@ucdavis.edu.