March 3, 2023

University of Washington awarded the 2022 ALL IN Highly Established Action Plan Seal

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge announced that the University of Washington has been awarded a Highly Established Action Plan Seal recognizing their commitment to increasing nonpartisan democratic engagement and building a related strong nonpartisan action plan in 2022. The UW is one of 121 colleges and universities nationwide to receive the seal.

The UW is the only institution in Washington state to receive this designation, which was earned through developing a data-driven action plan to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation.

“This is wonderful recognition of the UW’s commitment to preparing students for democratic engagement,” said Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “Participating in our democracy and in our communities as engaged and ethical leaders is part of what it means to be educated. We are proud of the collaborations the CELE Center is leading and convening to meet this societal need.”

The Action Plan that resulted in this designation was developed by the Democracy Dawgs, a coalition of students, staff, faculty, community members and civic leaders in a collaboration convened by the Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center.

The UW student population has one of the highest voter participation rates out of American universities with 85% of students who are eligible to vote being registered voters (data from 2020). The Democracy Dawgs have built on that foundation to create more centralized communications and processes to increase student voting rates and promote civic participation and democratic engagement. In 2022, 77% of students registered to vote voted in the midterm elections; the average voting rate among PAC-12 campuses was 70%.

The UW began participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge in 2017, which has now grown to over 960 colleges and universities working together to increase nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and voter participation.

To learn more and join the Democracy Dawgs visit the CELE Center.