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Student Testimonials
"As President of the North Dakota Student Association, I represent a vast population of students across eleven distinct institutions. These institutions encompass a wide variety of economic backgrounds, age ranges, length of degree program, etc. Advocating for these students is no small feat, and they truly deserve the light shone upon them. As the lot of them are students who don't necessarily have time for life outside of earning their degree - it is of the utmost importance to provide a period of time off, in order to remove barriers of voting on Election Day. Students deserve to have their voices heard, and I believe this letter impacts and increases the ability of that."
- Sarah Kempel, President of the North Dakota Student Association
"Civic engagement is a cornerstone of ASUN’s mission. We are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate in the democratic process and play a role in shaping our nation’s future. To support this, we have been exploring opportunities in partnership with University administration and through our Department of Government Affairs to expand access to voting. This includes increasing the number of polling locations, advocating for the protection of voter rights, and identifying ways to reduce barriers on Election Day, such as academic or attendance-related obligations. We are enthusiastic in our support of this letter, as we believe civic engagement should not end at the University, but rather begin here. Our goal is to empower students to remain active and engaged participants in the democratic process well beyond their time on campus and into their professional lives."
- Carmina Aglubat, President of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada
"We, the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of the University of Missouri- St. Louis, are signing this letter to stand in solidarity with the democratic process that our students have a right and duty to conduct. Education and civic participation should go hand in hand, not against each other. Accessibility to participation in voting is a fundamental right of all American Citizens, and we, the future generation, deserve to have our voices heard, without jeopardizing our education."
- Grace Desjardins, President of the University of Missouri - St. Louis Student Government Association
"It's our civic duty as Americans and patriots to vote, it's what makes our democracy a true republic. We should have time off to give every citizen a chance to participate."
- Ivory Kendrick, President of Kent State University Undergraduate Student Government
"The right to vote is the right to determine the future of one's country. It is a crucial part of the American experience. Too often barriers stop the poorest in our communities from voting, the ones who need to vote the most. It is crucial to ensure that employers allow these people to vote, as they deserve to have a voice in their government as much as anyone else."
- Quinn Fitzpatrick, Vice President of American University Student Government
"Many people have opinions, and all are impacted by election outcomes, but not everyone has adequate access to the polls. This shouldn’t be the case, which is why I’m signing onto this open letter as the Student Body President of Brown University."
- Talib Reddick, President of the Brown University Undergraduate Council of Students
"Echoing my brother from Brown University, I am a champion for the responsibility of civic engagement and acknowledging that a voteless people is a hopeless people- we must spearhead the efforts in which make for a better tomorrow."
- Jakye Nunley, President of the Associated Students of Colorado State University
"Voting is a student right and a chance for students to take hold of their own education. Often, work, class, and other factors get in the way of civic engagement. Time Off To Vote gives students the opportunity to engage with their civic experience, organize campus events, and generate activity that they would not have the ability to attract without the dedicated time."
- Rae Watkins, President of the Associated Students of the University of Washington - Tacoma
"As proponents of advocacy and civic engagement, we at OSGA find it crucial to urge corporations to give their employees paid time off on election day as a means for greater voter accessibility."
- Savannah Alldredge, President of the Oklahoma Student Government Association
"I’m signing on because mobilizing our communities is one of the most powerful ways to combat government overreach, corruption, and polarization. Voting is not just a right—it’s a responsibility, as Americans and as human beings. It should never be treated as a privilege reserved for the few, but as a fundamental right guaranteed to the many. There should not be 80 million uncast ballots in a country where Black Americans and women fought for decades—often at great personal cost—for this right to be extended to everyone. A right so hard-won should be used, protected, and expanded, not obstructed. There should be no hurdles to participation in our democracy."
- Amiyah Ellsworth, Associated Students, Incorporated at Cal Poly Pomona
"To allow our working citizens the time to vote is paramount to protecting democracy. When workers are limited from their busy schedules to perform their most important civil duty, the voices of our country are stifled. They must be allowed the opportunity to step away from their cash register, computer, cubicle, or other workstation to seek their duly elected representation."
- Zachary Potter, President of the University of West Georgia Student Government Association
"I fight to keep young people engaged and informed in the political process every day. There is no reason that employers should not give the bare minimum effort to do the same."
- Jonathan Fleischer, President of Bemidji State University Student Senate
"I am signing on to this on behalf of the Student Government Association of Bergen Community College because the right to vote is not something to be taken lightly. Throughout the history of our country, the right to vote has been an ongoing struggle for several demographics, from suffrage to the civil rights movement. We are fortunate to have these rights, but they are not to be taken for granted. Today, the right to vote is once again being challenged at the highest levels of our federal government, and it is our responsibility as the next generation entering the public and private workforce to demand that our right to vote and voice our opinions be protected. For this reason, and many more, I am signing on as a signatory to the Time Off to Vote letter campaign."
- Liam Setti, President of the Bergen Community College Student Government Association
"As President of AAS, I sign this letter to reflect that Amherst students care about being able to participate in elections without unnecessary barriers. This seems to be a practical policy that helps ensure people don’t have to choose between work and voting. By joining other student leaders across the country, AAS is also making it clear that students see this as an important issue not just on campus, but in the broader world we’re about to enter. Signing the letter shows that we expect employers to support civic participation and that we’re willing to speak up about it."
- Charles Tufenkji, President of Association of Amherst Students
"Democracy is a team sport -- as I've seen from my time in student government, the value of voting and free expression is paramount in the practice of good citizenry. Citizens and students deserve partial time off for democratic participation."
- Tara Singh, President of Duke University Student Government
"Your vote is your voice, and a more just society makes it easy for people to vote."
- Adan Rodriguez, President of the Associated Students of the University of Washington Bothell
"Voting is a civic duty, and students deserve the time to fulfill it."
- Jessica Mendoza, Co-Executive Director of the Arizona Students’ Association
"I believe as the next generation is one that has been proven to be very vocal on elections and voting it is important that we not only set ourselves up but those after us up for the ability to do that without fear of missing work and pay."
- Edgar Guzman, President of Drew University Student Government
"Voting days should be a national holiday in all states! And this is a great way to start!"
- Tiago Gobetti Gaboardi, President of Bowling Green State University Undergraduate Student Government