Thomas More University’s Political Science Club and University Honor Society recently teamed up to host a voter registration drive ahead of the Kentucky primary election. For the past 13 years, students have collaborated to raise awareness of the importance of being a registered voter and having a voice in the democratic process.

The Kentucky primary will be held May 21 with a deadline to register to vote or update current registration records on April 22. The Commonwealth of Kentucky conducts closed primaries, meaning voters who wish to cast a ballot in the Democratic or Republican party’s primary elections must have changed or declared their party affiliation by December 31, 2023.

This drive kicks off a Presidential election year when voters ages 18-34 will make up nearly one-fifth of the American electorate, though, according to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement at Tufts University, students typically vote at lower rates than the national averages for all Americans.

As a Catholic liberal arts university, civic engagement goes hand-in-hand with Thomas More’s core tenets of responsibility to others and examination of the overarching questions of life. Students majoring in political science dive deeply into these concepts not only through experiential learning opportunities and engagement during election seasons, but also through intensive scholarly study and research.

Thomas More University seniors Andrew Bailey and Sophia Hermosilla recently presented their research at the annual conference of the Kentucky Political Science Association, held at Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky. Bailey, who is double-majoring in history and political science shared his research, “The Fairytale of Democratic Theory: A Case Study of Latonia, Kentucky (1896 – 1909),” a case-study analysis exploring a political conflict over annexation. Hermosilla, a double major in international studies and political science, presented her research, a policy analysis focused upon migration and its impact on Panama, “Risking Death to Find New Horizons: The Darien Gap and the Panamanian Response to the Crisis of Migration.”  Both Bailey and Hermosilla will also participate in the Thomas More Research Forum held on campus on April 15.

Encouraging civic engagement within the greater student body, the Thomas More University Political Science Club typically hosts two voter registration drives per year, takes a lead in Constitution Day activities every September, and has co-sponsored a range of campus events, including election night coverage, a political film night with the Black Student Union, and a discussion on environmental issues with the Blue Green Club.

For more information about upcoming elections in Kentucky, or to check Kentucky voter registration status, please visit elect.ky.gov.