Student groups are ramping up their efforts to get out the vote ahead of Virginia's statewide and legislative elections this November. Partisan and non-partisan political groups like the U.Va. Center for Politics, Hoos Vote, University Democrats and College Republicans are planning events to increase voter education and turnout before voters head to the polls starting Sept. 19.
The main candidates in the race to be the Commonwealth’s next chief executive, succeeding Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, are Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. The winning candidate will be Virginia’s first woman governor.
The governor’s race will occur alongside the race for lieutenant governor, with State Sen. Gloria Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, facing off against Republican and Businessman John Reid, as well as the race for attorney general between incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and former Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk. Winning either seat would be a pickup for Democrats.
Fourth-year College student Zoe Shook is co-president of Hoos Vote, a Contracted Independent Organization at the University that aims to increase student engagement and turnout. Shook said the club will be tabling across the University and will be giving out different kinds of donuts from Krispy Kreme and Carter’s Mountain Orchard through its “Donut Forget to Vote" effort.
She mentioned that she hopes to reach first-year students with this effort and that the club is there to answer their questions, including whether students are eligible to vote in Virginia or if they can change their registration to a different state.
“I think politics can, at times, be very inaccessible or boring,” Shook said. “So we're trying to help people realize that it doesn't always have to be like that, and to make politics more accessible.”
Throughout this process, the University Democrats and College Republicans are supporting their respective party candidates, while nonpartisan groups like the Center for Politics hope to increase voter awareness and turnout more generally.
The Center for Politics — which also collaborates with Hoos Vote — will be hosting several programs, including a partnership with Andrew Markwalter, founder of Every Vote Matters and graduate Batten Student. The group aims to help those on the autism spectrum to vote and will be conducting a mock polling event in cooperation with the University and the Charlottesville registrar.
The event will simulate the voting process and will take place Sept. 18 in the multipurpose room of the Rotunda. The initiative is designed to familiarize participants with the mechanics of casting a ballot in a low-stress setting.
Glenn Crossman, director of programs at the Center, has been involved with numerous get out the vote efforts across the University and is currently working with Markwalter on this initiative. He said that participants will be able to register to vote at the event if they are not already registered, noting existing low turnout.
“There's a very low rate of students on the spectrum actually going to vote because it's too overwhelming for them,” Crossman said.
Brianna Sharpe, president of the University Democrats and fourth-year College student, discussed her plans to host door-knocking events, phone banks and voter registration drives across Charlottesville every week leading up to the election in support of Spanberger and other Democrats. She also noted the importance of reaching areas outside of Charlottesville, including Ruckersville, a change from their previous strategy.
“Something we’re trying to do differently this semester versus last semester in terms of door knocking and canvassing is getting outside of Charlottesville, outside of Albemarle, to rural areas … where it really makes a difference,” Sharpe said. “I think we'll have more value in areas that aren't navy blue Charlottesville.”
Sharpe also outlined plans to host several other collegiate Democratic groups, including the University of Pennsylvania Democrats, to help door knock for Spanberger in October. This follows the University Democrats visiting Pennsylvania to campaign for former Vice President Kamala Harris before the 2024 presidential election. Sharpe described these collaborations as a way to share resources and build momentum among student organizations across different universities.
The College Republicans declined to comment on its efforts or strategies regarding the governor’s race, but they have expressed their continued support for the Republican ticket. During past election cycles, the group has organized voter registration drives, hosted speakers and connected students with opportunities to volunteer on campaigns.
Based on their email newsletters, College Republicans plans to knock on doors across Albemarle County this cycle and will have phone banks where students can volunteer to help inform people about Republican candidates running for office. The group hosted a phone banking event Sept. 10 for Earle-Sears and other Republicans.
Another political group on Grounds with similar goals to the University Democrats is Cavalier Strategies, a student-run political consulting group that exclusively supports Democratic candidates. Riley Munson, club co-president and third-year Batten student, underlined the importance of reaching younger voters and increasing the club’s online presence.
“A big goal for us is to meet younger voters where they are, which is usually online and on social media,” Munson said. “A lot of the outreach that we're going to do about the upcoming election is going to be on the places where young people are naturally.”
The governor’s race in particular has received significant national attention as Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states holding gubernatorial elections this year, with the races viewed as bellwethers for the 2026 midterms.
This election is particularly significant to students due to recent events at the University, according to Sharpe, especially regarding the resignation of former University President Jim Ryan and the recent controversy surrounding Youngkin’s appointments to the Board of Visitors.
She noted the possibility of Spanberger being able to appoint several new members to the Board, preventing conservatives from maintaining a majority. Sharpe said that having a Democratic trifecta in state government could ease tensions and significantly change the way the University currently operates before commenting on the state of the race.
“People see the polls and say it does look good for Spanberger … but we want to campaign like we're 12 points down … acting like we’re going to lose with the hope and confidence that we're going to win and make things in the Commonwealth,” Sharpe said.
Spanberger is rated as “likely” to win according to Sabato’s Crystal Ball, the political publication run by Prof. Larry Sabato and the Center for Politics, which recently changed its characterization of the governor’s race in the Democrats’ favor. This comes amid strong polling and fundraising numbers for Spanberger. At the same time, analysts caution that statewide races in Virginia have often tightened in the final weeks of campaigning, suggesting that the contest remains competitive.
Elections in Virginia will take place Nov. 4 with classes not being held at the University. Early voting starts Sept. 19, but students can register to vote online or in-person before Oct. 24. Same-day registration is also available at a polling place to cast a provisional ballot. Mail-in ballots are available to request until Oct. 24. For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Elections.
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