By Kendra Bryant
Starting on February 1, Towson University’s Empowering Secure ElectionsResearch Lab (ESE) will collaborate with the Anne Arundel Board of Elections (BoE) by surveying students to increase voting participation in Maryland and improve the voting experience for voters.
The 10-minute survey is expected to be taken anonymously by registered Anne Arundel County voters via email. A series of questions will be based on the voter’s overall experience voting with the county. Along with understanding the voter’s experience, there will also be a segment where feedback on the election office service, voter registration, and in-person voting could be improved.
Anne Arundel Board of Elections believes that the gathered data from this survey will greatly help government officials make proper improvements in upcoming elections. “Data provided from Anne Arundel County voters is essential to maintaining efficient election protocols and adjusting for the future,” says David Garreis, elections director for Anne Arundel County Board of Elections.
Towson’s ESE has high hopes for the project and wants this initiative to allow young voters to feel like their voice truly matters in this significant decision. “It is important for students to vote because they make up a large portion of the population that could potentially shape an election.
Voting is an important process to ensure that students are represented in our country,” says ESE Researcher Sadie Barrett.
A current junior at Towson University, MarDaya Arrington, will be a second-time voter, “As an African American female, voting has always been important to me, knowing that not too long ago, I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of the selection process makes me value it so much more,” says MarDaya. She then goes on to state that although her voice could be heard through the voting decision, she does not always feel that important when at the polls.
“Just knowing my vote counted made me feel heard. But I will say that the overall atmosphere of the polls was very intimidating and not the most welcoming,” she says.
According to the Anne Arundel State Board of Elections webpage, in 2022, the county gathered over 100,000 votes on election day, 58,000 mail-in-ballots and 38,000 votes for early voting and ESE lab developing better training tools to identify issues and change them for the better for the AA State Board of Elections through surveys, interviews, and cybersecurity research.