To spread voting knowledge, the Faculty for Student Voting Right advocates for students to register and vote in the midterm elections. Graphic By: Maddie Bataille | Photo Editor
A University of Rhode Island professor continues to represent the Faculty for Student Voting Rights (FSVR) amidst the Rhode Island general elections.
In 2020, Brendan “Skip” Mark, an assistant professor of political science and director of the Center for Nonviolence & Peace Studies, joined the FSVR, a non-partisan national organization that encourages universities to commit to creating a campus where their students can gain unbiased information about politics and voting.
Mark has continued his involvement in the organization, and has been involved in multiple events to spread voting knowledge throughout campus this semester in preparation for the upcoming election.
“What we’ve committed to doing is ensuring that there are resources on campus surrounding elections,” Mark said. “So that people can learn about what is happening, how to make an informed voting decision, and how to avoid misinformation.”
Mark mentioned a panel he spoke on this semester called “I’m Registered to Vote…Now What?” Along with presentations from other URI community members about fake news, news literacy, and a guide to finding sample ballots, Mark made a presentation about how to find reliable information about political candidates.
“I really just wanted to provide students with as much information as possible,” Mark said. “Here are some ways you can think about this, while trying to remain neutral. The goal is really to know who the candidates are and what they stand for.”
In 2020, former URI President David Dooley signed the FSVR’s “All in Voters Pledge,” which was a commitment to information about elections and voting as accessible to students as possible.
“[The pledge] does carry over to the new president,” Mark said. “URI has signed it, so it will be a member of this until it actively says that it does not want to be.”
Mark mentioned that sometimes people don’t vote in general elections because they feel their vote doesn’t matter, but he explained the impact local elections have statewide.
“I think it’s so important because it is really easy to underestimate how easy it is to forget about voting,” Mark said. “Maybe you go out and you just vote for the same party down the ballot and you think you’ve done your due diligence, but in most elections, there are ballot initiatives that have a huge impact on how the state spends its money.”
Caitlin Beaudry, a second-year art history major, echoed Mark’s idea about voting in general elections.
“It’s essential to vote in local elections so that you can elect people who can better your own community,” Beaudry said.
Beaudry also talked about how much general elections can change communities. She mentioned the “Vote Yes on 1” campaign regarding a question on the ballot for the upcoming election, which proposes a $100 million bond for URI’s Bay Campus.
“Voting rights are an important way to have your voice heard,” Beaudry said. “And especially for college students because these votes and these politicians will dictate what happens to our futures.”
Although the FSVR’s main panel of the year is already over, Mark said that there are plans to do more events and spread more information on a larger scale in 2024 for the presidential election, including more informative panels and hosting debate watch parties.