The First Year
​
Columbia Voting Week began as an idea of former Columbia Political Union President David Kang ’15. President Kang envisioned a week-long celebration of civic engagement on campus to drum up voter registration and political awareness around the school. During the first year, Voting Week was organized by CPU in partnership with fellow university organizations.
​
In the Years Since
​
Held annually during the first week of October, Voting Week offers a range of fascinating and dynamic speakers to discuss democracy and voting while volunteers help members of the campus community file for absentee ballots and register to vote. Speakers have included Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, former Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Barham Salih, and other distinguished guests. Voting Week has also registered hundreds of students to vote here in New York as well as in their home districts.
​
This Year
​
In 2016, Daniella Goncalves became the lead of VWOC, an independent organization charged with making Voting Week a huge success this year and beyond.
​
Updated September 15, 2016
Photos courtesy of VWOC Multimedia Director Zoë Ryan. Website maintained by VWOC Digital Director Peter Ryan.