Registering Students And The Challenge Of Engaging Gen Z

Posted by Forbes on September 23, 2025

How do we engage Gen Z students and get them to actually register to vote? For Cindy Havey, member of League of Women Voters of Buffalo-Niagara and campus liaison to Buffalo State University and the University of Buffalo, the solution to this struggle is simple: talk to them!

Years ago, when Cindy’s daughter went to college, she called to ask, “Where should I register to vote? Here or at home?” That was an amazing question — college students can choose to register at either their home address or their college address. So after discussing what was important to her, she decided to register at her campus address, as there were critical issues in that district where her vote could make a real difference. Chatting with her daughter helped her realize some of the struggles college students face as they become eligible to vote for the first time.

These challenges were on her mind when she joined the League of Women Voters of Buffalo/Niagara. She was looking for a way to be more engaged in her community, and the Voter Services Committee Chair had recently created a group that would support the efforts of the local college campuses. She volunteered to be the campus liaison for the two largest schools in the area. She was drawn to the opportunity to be part of the democratic process of voting, encouraging all students — regardless of their political views — to use their voices to help create the kind of world they would like to live in. What she learned is that college voter registration is full of complexities.

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