Chloe Chaffin, a sophomore secondary English education major, is on a mission to educate and engage the students and faculty at Washburn University about voting and polling opportunities in the area.

Chaffin is working with Loud Light, a Kansas based nonpartisan and nonprofit that focuses on youth voter turnout and civic engagement. She is reaching out to the Washburn community by asking students to take an anonymous five-minute survey to understand people’s attitudes toward voting.

Understanding that it is this younger generation of college students who are going to be living through these political issues at hand, Chaffin is trying to make sure this generation is engaged in what decisions are being made for them.

“Young people are the ones who are going to have to deal with these issues the longest, this is our lives in our world that we need to take control of and we need to make sure that we feel represented by our leaders,” said Chaffin.

According to LoudLight.org, their vision is that you are becoming a “visible vocal force” for good within your community.

Chaffin also makes the point that it is important to build “good civic hygiene” that starts at the University. Washburn University, being in the Capital city of Topeka, is already catching the interest of the student body on this topic. Chaffin explains that we not only need to show interest in voting, but actually show up to the polls.

“Since our school uses people’s interest in politics as a way to attract new incoming students, we also need to make sure that we continue their engagement once they have come through our doors,” said Chaffin.

To get more information or get involved, you can email Chaffin at [email protected] or email Loud Light directly at [email protected].
“Don’t let my five-minute survey be the end of your civic engagement for this year,” said Chaffin. “Make sure that you reach out to all of those other people that we are just dying to connect you with.”