Prepare for National Elections on Campus

Prepare for national elections by meeting voter registration obligations, supporting lawful campus political activities, and planning for demonstrations and other election-related risks.

Take practical actions before, during, and after election season to:

• Meet legal requirements.
• Support student voting.
• Prepare for demonstrations.
• Respond to emerging risks.

Meet Voter Registration Requirements

Under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), certain colleges and universities must make a good-faith effort to distribute voter registration forms to students. Review the Department of Education’s current federal guidance and applicable state and local election laws to determine whether and how the requirements apply to your institution. Consider consulting with legal counsel to ensure compliance.

Current guidance identifies the following obligations for covered institutions:

• Make a good-faith effort to distribute a mail voter registration form to each student enrolled in a degree or certificate program and physically attending the institution.
• Make mail voter registration forms widely available to students.
• Request voter registration forms from the state at least 120 days before the voter registration deadline. Note: This window has passed for the November 2026 general election.

If your institution distributes the forms electronically, the HEA also requires you to:

• Attach a voter registration form acceptable in the state where your institution is located or provide a website address where students can download it. The National Mail Voter Registration Form contains state-specific registration information.
• Devote the electronic message exclusively to voter registration information.

Comply with Campaign Restrictions and Maintain Nonpartisanship

The IRS prohibits organizations with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) from certain political campaign activities, including:

• Participating in campaigns for or against candidates for public office
• Promoting, endorsing, or showing institutional preference for or against a candidate
• Contributing directly or indirectly to political campaign funds

Violating these restrictions could jeopardize an institution’s tax-exempt status and result in excise taxes.

Institutions should ensure voter education and registration initiatives remain nonpartisan. Avoid:

• Providing partisan political links in place of nonpartisan voter education or registration materials
• Focusing on a few highly divisive topics during voter education efforts
• Releasing candidate ratings that others may interpret as your institution’s opinions
• Coordinating voter education campaigns with political party or candidate events

Consult legal counsel when reviewing plans for voter outreach, candidate activities, or election-related programs that could raise compliance concerns.

Prepare Campus Operations

Assign responsibilities for election-related activities in advance and coordinate with relevant campus offices. Depending on your institution’s organizational structure, consider the following:

Student Affairs or Civic Engagement

• Create a staff action plan. Identify who will share voter information, obtain election documents, and track key dates.
• Develop nonpartisan voter education programs. Explain how to register and vote without supporting or opposing candidates.

Facilities and Campus Public Safety

• Consider serving as a polling location. Contact local election officials to determine whether your campus could serve as a voting site and identify the associated operational requirements.
• Create a polling place safety checklist. If your institution serves as a polling location, address preparation, emergency protocols, and examples of suspicious activity. 

Transportation Services or Student Affairs

• Consider providing transportation on Election Day. If your institution offers rides to polling places, coordinate logistics and ensure the service is nonpartisan.

Support Student Voting

Institutions can help students understand voting requirements and participate in civic life through nonpartisan information and education. Consider coordinating the following efforts with relevant campus offices.

Student Affairs or Civic Engagement

• Provide clear information about voting. Use plain language to reduce confusion, especially for first-time voters and students away from home.
• Remind students of key deadlines. Include voter registration deadlines and deadlines to request mail-in ballots.
• Explain voting by mail. Provide information about available mail-in voting options. 

Education Abroad and International Student Services

• Help students voting from abroad. Share absentee voting information with eligible students studying abroad.
• Explain voting eligibility to international students. Clarify eligibility requirements while encouraging participation in nonpartisan civic engagement and educational programs.

Registrar or Enrollment Services

• Provide residency documentation. Promptly provide verification of students’ addresses or proof of residency when needed for registration.
• Clarify voter identification requirements. Coordinate with campus card services to determine whether student IDs meet state voter identification requirements and inform students about the documentation needed to vote.

Address Election Misinformation

Before election season, establish a communications strategy to address misinformation that may spread through social media, artificial intelligence (AI), or other online sources. Clear, reliable information can help reduce confusion and maintain confidence in institutional communications.

• Develop a communications plan. Address false information about voter registration deadlines, polling locations, campus election events, or institutional announcements circulating online.
• Direct students to reliable election information. Encourage students to verify voting information through official state and local election offices rather than relying on unofficial online sources or social media.
• Educate students about AI-generated misinformation. Discuss how AI-generated images, videos, audio, and deepfakes can mislead voters, and encourage students to verify information before sharing it.

Prepare for Demonstrations and Free Speech Activities

Elections can prompt rallies, protests, and other expressive activities on campus. Prepare to support safety while respecting applicable free speech protections and following campus policies.

Consider assigning responsibility for the following preparations to relevant campus offices, with coordination among public safety, student affairs, legal counsel, risk management, and communications personnel.

Student Affairs 

• Publicize campus policies. Educate students throughout the semester and consider creating a resource page outlining relevant policies and expectations.
• Apply institutional policies consistently. Train personnel to follow campus policies and the applicable conduct code when responding to violations.

Campus Public Safety and Emergency Management

• Rehearse response plans. Conduct tabletop exercises involving senior administrators, local law enforcement, campus public safety, risk management, legal counsel, communications, student affairs, and other relevant personnel.
• Coordinate security planning. Establish a security plan specifying when officers should act, communicate with groups planning demonstrations, and assign public safety personnel to events when appropriate.
• Prepare for unplanned protests. Establish procedures for responding to demonstrations that develop without advance notice.
• Learn from prior demonstrations. Work with relevant departments to review past incidents and identify opportunities to strengthen emergency response and coordination.

Communications

• Develop a demonstration communications plan. Identify communication channels, backup methods, and designated spokespeople authorized to address students, parents, the community, and the media.
• Monitor relevant misinformation. Monitor publicly available social media information that could affect demonstration safety or create confusion about campus events, while respecting applicable privacy and free speech protections.
• Share information about planned demonstrations. When appropriate, publicize the time and location so community members can avoid the area if they choose, and distribute relevant safety guidance.

Review Lessons After the Election 

After the election, evaluate what worked well and identify opportunities to improve communications, coordination, and operational planning before future election cycles. 

More From UE

Addressing Demonstrations on Campus

Prepare for Violent Protests on Campus

Additional Resources

American Council on Education: Voting and College Political Campaign-Related Activities in America’s 250th Year

U.S. Election Assistance Commission: National Mail Voter Registration Form

IRS: Restriction of Political Campaign Intervention by Section 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations

Federal Student Aid: Updated Requirements for Distribution of Voter Registration Forms and Federal Work Study Allowable Uses of Funds

National Association of Secretaries of State: #TrustedInfo

This material is presented for general informational and risk management purposes only. It should not be considered legal, coverage, or other professional advice. Readers should consult their legal counsel, broker, or other appropriate adviser regarding their specific circumstances.

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