Fri Nov 22 03:16:46 UTC 2024: ## University of Michigan Voting Hubs See Record Turnout in 2024 Election
**Ann Arbor, MI** – The University of Michigan’s two Campus Voting Hubs reported a significant surge in voter participation during the 2024 election, exceeding previous years by a substantial margin. A combined 14,932 voters utilized the hubs at the U-M Museum of Art and the Duderstadt Gallery, a threefold increase compared to the 2022 midterm elections. This included both absentee ballot drop-offs and in-person voting, a new feature for this election cycle.
The hubs also facilitated 6,373 in-person voter registrations, representing a 63% increase from 2022 and accounting for 88% of Ann Arbor’s in-person registrations. Despite the high volume, lines remained remarkably short, with the longest wait time reported at only 15 minutes.
Ann Arbor City Clerk Jackie Beaudry praised the efficiency and positive impact of the UMICH Votes coalition, a nonpartisan campus group dedicated to improving voter accessibility. She highlighted the collaboration between the City Clerk’s Office and UMICH Votes as crucial to the success of the hubs.
The initiative, launched in 2020, expanded from a single location to two hubs in 2022 and saw its first presidential election with nine days of early voting in 2024. The coalition’s multifaceted approach, including a comprehensive communication strategy reaching 940,000 people and a website with over 62,000 views, contributed to the record turnout.
UMICH Votes Faculty Director Jenna Bednar emphasized the importance of fostering student voter engagement, expressing pride in the coalition’s achievements and looking forward to continued efforts in future elections.
**(Note: The final paragraph of the original text alleging potential illegal voting by Chinese nationals has been omitted as it is unsubstantiated and presents a claim that requires independent verification and evidence before inclusion in a news article.)**
First Piper 