Tuesday, Nov. 4, the commonwealth of Virginia will hold elections to select the state’s next governor, along with the lieutenant governor, attorney general, members of the House of Delegates and various local officials. Incumbent Gov. Glenn Youngkin is ineligible to seek re-election, as the Virginia Constitution prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms.
This year’s election cycle is expected to be contentious, reflecting heightened political tensions at both the state and national levels amid ongoing debates about higher education policy, immigration raids, tariff policy and more in Washington, D.C. under the Trump administration.
As a part of the College of William and Mary’s Vision 2026, the Office of Civic and Community Engagement has placed a special emphasis on encouraging students to fulfill their civic duty by participating in the upcoming election. Their initiatives this semester have emphasized voter education and engagement through providing resources to help students register, understand ballot issues and find their polling locations.
“The right to vote is fundamental to our nation, and W&M has a team devoted to voter engagement led by a dedicated group of students, faculty and community members, with advice and support from the Williamsburg Voter Registrar’s Office,” a press release from W&M News said.
The CCE also recently launched the civic scorecard initiative for students to asynchronously keep track of their involvement. The special focus on civic skills and engagement comes in advance of the nation’s 250th anniversary and the College’s pre-designation of 2026 as the Year of Civic Leadership.
The Office of Strategic and Cultural Partnerships also received $2.8 million from the U.S. Department of Education to fund teacher training, with a focus on developing civic knowledge and leadership skills in Virginia youth.
Provost Peggy Agouris remarked on the initiative’s relevance to the College’s broader civic efforts leading into 2026.
“This grant underscores William and Mary’s commitment to innovative scholarship in service to the nation,” Agouris said. “‘We the Teachers’ is a model of how leading research universities can advance civic learning by combining deep historical knowledge with cutting-edge pedagogy to empower educators. As a cornerstone of W&M’s Vision 2026 initiative, it reflects the vital role of academic excellence in serving every citizen.”
To further increase student engagement ahead of the upcoming election, campus political organizations have been participating in registration efforts. Young Democrats President Adrian Ryan ’27 highlighted the group’s ongoing outreach in an email to The Flat Hat, noting that they have helped register over 100 students at their tabling events.
“Our organization hosts a voter registration table every Monday and Wednesday for three hours in the Sadler Atrium,” Ryan said. “So far, we have registered slightly over 100 students and look forward to registering more as Election Day draws nearer.”
Ryan explained that this election is of particular importance to his organization. With rising tensions in D.C., Ryan feels this election could help protect many of the causes the Young Democrats advocate for, such as the right to funding for education.
“Numerous issues are of the utmost importance to us this election cycle, including but not limited to: curbing federal overreach, protecting [and expanding] reproductive rights, quelling gun violence, addressing affordability issues and protecting democracy,” Ryan said. “As students at an institution of higher learning, we believe that protecting education funding is also critical.”
Not all organizations on campus are taking partisan stances on ballot issues. Organizations like the Young Independents are instead focusing on stimulating campus conversations regarding political topics through debates.
Young Independents Issues Director Hunter Steele White ’27 mentioned in an email to The Flat Hat that, while they do not advocate for particular policies, the club does have members who are actively participating in campaigns.
“Young Independents does not officially endorse any candidate nor support any specific policies in this cycle. We are a debate organization, so we don’t typically engage in specific voter advocacy,” White said. “That said, many of our members are quite active on the campaign trail, and we’re proud of our club’s commitment to debate about the issues on campus.”
RJ Kloecker ’27 is involved in several political groups on campus that have held voter registration events this semester. He expressed his belief in the necessity of student involvement in the political process, especially in the upcoming election cycle.
“There are so many organizations that have come and tabled on campus, such as the League of Women Voters and the Young Democrats, that I think is really important,” Kloecker said. “And that they’re mobilizing students to make sure that they’re registered to vote and are aware of the upcoming elections.”
Kleocker also touched on students’ recent push for increased civic engagement, encouraging others to become active participants in shaping local and state political issues while embodying the College’s ethos.
“There’s a myriad of issues they want to bring attention to, especially since we’re a college of thinkers and doers,” he said. “And I guess the College likes to portray us as change makers, so we really want to live up to that.”
