Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

Central Michigan University and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) announced that Matthew Thomas has been recognized as part of the 2024 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll awards college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses. Thomas joins a group of 137 students recognized for their voter registration, education, and turnout efforts in their communities.

“Young people make up one of the largest voting demographics in the country, but have the lowest voting rates,” said Thomas, a recent graduate from CMU. “If students made their voices heard, they would have the power to make lasting change.”

Thomas is the second CMU student in as many years to be named to the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. 

A recent survey from CIRCLE showed that 86% of under-35 youth who voted in 2022 and 72% of those who voted in 2020 consider themselves extremely likely to vote in 2024. ALL IN recognizes that colleges and universities have played an important role in encouraging young voter turnout.

“Whether it’s a presidential election year or one with critical state and local races on the ballot, students have a powerful role to play in fostering active and engaged campuses and getting their peers to participate in our democracy. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is honored to celebrate 137 student leaders who model nonpartisan democratic engagement,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These honorees hosted candidate information sessions, created guides on polling location accessibility, registered their peers to vote and so much more. We know these students will continue to make a difference in our democracy.”

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages more than 10 million students from more than 1,000 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Through an intentionally-designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on more than 965 campuses nationwide. ALL IN believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy, and instilling the value of lifelong participation. ALL IN is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more here.