ColbyVotes: A look back at Election 2020 and what lies ahead with future of voting at Colby

Punctuating the end of a tumultuous and divisive general election campaign season was the much-anticipated call on Saturday, Nov. 3 that declared former Vice President Joe Biden the victor in the presidential election. The call brought to a close this singular  Election Day, one which, unlike in other years, was quickly turning into Election Week. 

The anticipation came amid the counting of a record-breaking 160 million votes - a substantial portion of which were by mail as a result of the new COVID-19 Era. While this has marked the effective end of campaign season for many, and political advertising no longer blankets TV airwaves or disrupting cherished Youtube-viewing sessions, it nevertheless remains a time of reflection for some. 

Members of ColbyVotes in particular, an organization directly involved in voter registration at Colby, were among those who took a deep breath after the election drew to a close. You might’ve seen their tables strategically stationed around campus quietly working to register and re-register students to vote, guide students through the process to vote absentee in their own states, and serve as a definitive source of voter education— and despite the lack of boisterous aggrandizing, their results speak for themselves. 

“We registered over 700 students and got a record-breaking 800 students to vote early. That early figure usually makes up our total turnout in many election years - we surpassed that - with at least 1,000 students voting based on my estimation until we get the final numbers,” Colby Votes Fellow Lutie Brown `22 emphasized in an interview with The Colby Echo. 

This accomplishment is no small feat, particularly given Colby’s lackluster voting rate historically, which has remained significantly below that of peer institutions like Middlebury and Tufts. Within Maine, Bates and Bowdoin have beaten Colby in the past,  with their turnouts extending well over 50% in 2016, compared to Colby’s 47.9% turnout in that same year. 

Preliminary estimates place the figure for 2020 much higher, certainly improving upon 2018’s dismal 37.6% voter turnout despite a 73% registration rate that same year. 

Brown credited the improved 2020 turnout rate to notable increased student interest paired with the continual activism of several student organizations. Brown hopes that this trend  continues at Colby so students always feel their voices matter and need to be heard at the polling booth.

“I am extremely proud of the work we did to give further confidence in people’s vote this year through guiding students, many who were new, through the process with our non-partisan vote guide - something I think [the organization] will seek to build upon and expand going forward,” Brown explained.

ColbyVotes is a student-operated civic engagement organization partnered with the New England Small College Athletic Conference’s (NESCAC) voting initiative, the Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP), and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.

The organization’s stated mission is “to graduate more civically-engaged citizens and advocate for a more inclusive democracy, by increasing voter registration and voter turnout/GOTV on campus.”

Brown took great pride in how ColbyVotes persevered through an election year that can be fairly described as anything but conventional. 

“It was a challenging year for Colby Votes due to COVID-19, which forced us to adapt our organizational model and overall strategy - which makes me even prouder - given how well it worked out.”

Brown also reflected upon the most substantial barriers the organization had to overcome to ensure civic participation remained strong.

“[ColbyVotes] came through in a way that taught me that I didn’t feel alone; it made me realize a lot of people care about [civic participation] as much as me,” Brown said. “Colby didn’t let me down and for that I am proud of what we were able to do and what I was able to witness.”

Optimistic about the organization’s leadership, she expressed confidence in the group’s organizers and voting captains. 

“Teamwork really makes the dreamwork” Brown exclaimed, acknowledging the comment’s hokeyness. “We were working with a much larger group this year - at least 40 - compared to 10 or so regular members last year.” 

Despite the increased numbers, ColbyVotes still has their  work cut out for them. Brown remained adamant that their job was not finished and hopes to improve upon  past efforts by directing attention at the lesser-known midterm elections. 

“We want the organization to continue to work even in off-election years to maintain voter retention and civic engagement,” Brown said. “We will continue to fight for and meet our goals as well going forward beyond this election.” 

Brown’s aspirations  are certain to catch the attention of the Colby administration, as many specific objectives require substantial participation on their behalf. 

Some of these goals include making Election Day a college holiday, a recent proposal whose future remains unknown, make Colby College a voting precinct to increase accessibility— with its likely location in the new Athletic Center— and expand voter information and civic engagement infrastructure to include more purposeful student programming. 

While the suite of proposals constitute a significant undertaking, Brown projected confidence in the organization’s ability to draw upon its longstanding relationship with the Goldfarb Center and Office of Civic Engagement; she emphasized the importance the relationship has in allowing ColbyVotes to access the resources needed to grow and continue operations. 

During a year where everyone has had to get a bit creative, Brown noted her work with Colby Votes this year has instilled, by necessity, many lifelong lessons.  Perhaps the most important lesson she believed be taken away from the many challenges facing voter advocates is that “[we] [can] do it.” 

A transparently simple message; however, it is also one that many scarcely embrace because of their inability to recognize the significance of personal empowerment. 

Optimistic about the organization’s work, Brown remained assured that ColbyVotes has a bright future ahead in its continued effort to fully realize and ultimately embody its mission. 

This is an attitude that we can all stand to adopt as we all reflect upon our place in the broader world in which we inhabit. Though this year has been fraught with many uncertainties, ColbyVotes’s role on campus has been made that much more certain with the conclusion of one chapter and the opening of a new— marking many to come.

~ Aaron Mills `24