Voting

Kent State students – many of them first-time voters, were proud to go to the polls on Tuesday. 

Ohio voters backed red in both major national races in casting their ballots in the 2024 general election. For the third time, voters supported Republican Donald Trump for president while also sending newcomer Bernie Moreno to the U.S. Senate.

Kent State Votes wants to give student voters – especially those voting for the first time – all the information they need to get them to the polls on Election Day. 

The League of Women Voters of Ohio made Kent State the final stop on their tour of more than 20 Ohio colleges and universities. The group, including Eco the puppy, worked to get students registered to vote in advance of the Oct. 7 registration deadline. 

A Kent State alumnus who has been visiting Ohio colleges and universities in a pre-election tour by the League of Women Voters of Ohio says he's excited to see that student voters are interested and engaged in the election process. 

As part of Kent State's Kent State Votes initiative, Flashes across campus are stepping up to help make sure that students are registered to vote, well informed and motivated to cast their ballots in November. 

The Flashes Vote Festival on Risman Plaza celebrated National Voter Registration Day, National Beignet Day and what Todd Diacon, president of Kent State University called "our civic duty." 

Kent State University President Todd Diacon was an important part of this year's Flashes Vote Festival as he engaged students, distributed free Kent State Votes t-shirts and helped them get information about voting in the coming elections. 

The Flashes Vote Festival on Sept. 17 on Risman Plaza is presented by Kent State Undergraduate Student Government as a fun way to engage student voters, share voting information, get Flashes registered to vote.

The Kent State Votes initiative is working with organizations and departments across campus to help engage and inform student voters in advance of the coming elections.