SEC VOTER EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAM UNDERWAY
9/3/2020 10:00:00 AM | General
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (September 3, 2020) – The Southeastern Conference has implemented a new voter education and participation program by which all 14 of its member universities are supporting engagement of SEC student-athletes, coaches and staff in the November general election and in other local, state and federal elections, it was announced Thursday by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
The non-partisan program is an outcome of discussions among SEC student-athletes, presidents and chancellors, directors of athletics and senior woman administrators, some of whom serve on the SEC Council on Racial Equity and Social Justice, and it provides needed flexibility for athletics departments to determine how they activate the program now and in the future.
"Voting is an important way to fulfill one's civic duty in America," Sankey said. "The SEC Voter Education and Participation Program focuses on creating an opportunity for our universities to help our student-athletes, coaches and staff understand and participate in the election process."
"It's vital that we do everything we can to not only ensure our student-athletes, coaches and staff register and participate in the election process, but are educated, informed voters on November 3rd," Mizzou head basketball coach Cuonzo Martin said. "This program provides those opportunities and gives us the needed resources and time to perform an important civic duty."
As described below, the SEC Voter Education and Participation Program highlights a range of approaches for athletics department engagement, and additional local efforts, as well as Conference-wide activities, may be added later to augment this basic foundation.
Among the areas of engagement identified is education on the importance of voting, regardless of one's political position, and voter apathy. In response, every SEC athletics department will provide educational sessions, resources and access to campus or community experts for student-athletes, coaches and staff.
In addition, and recognizing individuals must first become registered voters to participate in the process, every institution is providing information about registration deadlines and necessary documentation to student-athletes as it applies to their home states, along with some also organizing or offering their facilities for campus and community voter registration drives. Out-of-state student-athletes are also being supplied with information related to absentee and vote-by-mail opportunities.
Recognizing the NCAA Division I Council is poised to consider a Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee recommendation to designate the first Tuesday after November 1 of each year as a mandatory off day from countable athletically related activities for Division I student-athletes, SEC administrators have engaged in ongoing dialogue regarding athletics activities on November 3.
The SEC Voter Education and Participation Program also aims to celebrate voters and connect athletics departments with university-wide civic engagement initiatives, including those designed to bring clarity to the interplay between local, state and federal governments.
Below is Mizzou's action plan:
SEC VOTER EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
University of Missouri Plan
Revised 9/3/2020
Voting is a crucial way to fulfill one's civic duty in America. The SEC Voter Education and Participation Program uses the momentum derived from recent events and subsequent conversations to educate and facilitate participation of student-athletes, coaches and staff in the November general election; and in other local, state and federal elections. The program is the result of discussions among SEC Presidents and Chancellors, Directors of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrators, and it provides flexibility for departments to determine how they will engage. While departments and teams may establish Tuesday, November 3 as an off day from athletics activities – and are encouraged to do so, it is not currently a requirement. However, departments are asked to share with the SEC office no later than Monday, August 17 how they will support this program and who will lead the effort, both as a resource for other departments and as evidence of our commitment to the program. Periodic updates will also be provided by department contacts to the SEC. Tenants of the program to be addressed include:
- Educating student-athletes, coaches and staff on the importance of participating in local, state and federal elections;
- Educating student-athletes, coaches and staff on the electoral college and how it impacts general elections;
- Supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff in the voter registration process ahead of the November general election and thereafter;
- Educating student-athletes on the absentee voting process while helping them adhere to important deadlines ahead of the November general election and thereafter;
- Educating student-athletes on the vote-by-mail process being implemented in certain states for the November general election and helping them adhere to key deadlines;
- Accommodating and supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff who are able to vote in person in the November general election and thereafter;
- Collaborating with university-wide offices to connect athletic department education and participation efforts with broader, related university efforts; and
- Identifying strategies to celebrate student-athletes, coaches and staff who participate in the November general election and thereafter.
University of Missouri Voter Education and Participation Plan
MU implementation of the SEC Program tenants will involve Head Coaches, student-athlete leadership groups (SAAC, Student-Athletes Fostering Equality (SAFE), Black Student-Athlete Association (BSAA), Female Athletes of Minority at Mizzou (FAMM), Mizzou Athletics Committee for Inclusive Excellence (MACIE) and MACIE ambassadors as outlined below to encourage student-athlete and staff voting.
EDUCATION
I. History of voting rights for Black Americans and Women Americans (September/October)
BSAA, FAMM, SAFE will engage in peer-to-peer education on voting history and the importance of voting to share with their student-athlete teammates in 2-3 team meetings to be held in September/October.
MACIE will coordinate the peer-to-peer education in team meetings with the Head Coaches who choose to do so.
II. Why vote? (SEC 1, 2,7) (August-October)
- Educating student-athletes, coaches and staff on the importance of participating in local, state and federal elections; (SEC 1)
- Educating student-athletes, coaches and staff on the electoral college and how it impacts general elections; (SEC 2)
- Educate student-athletes, coaches and staff on how to evaluate and select a candidate, i.e., what information is important and how to find it;
- Student-athlete peer education on candidates and issues to be voted on in November General Election
Dr. Laron Williams an MU Political Science Professor will provide a tutorial on the election process, including the electoral college, as well as how to evaluate and select candidates. (late September)
Student-athletes (leadership groups or Political Science majors) research candidates and issues and host educational forum prior to the election. (October)
VOTING PROCESS: REGISTRATION AND ELECTION
I. Voter Registration (SEC 3,4,5) (August-October)
- Supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff in the voter registration process ahead of the November general election and thereafter; (SEC 3)
- Educating student-athletes on the absentee voting process while helping them adhere to important deadlines ahead of the November general election and thereafter; (SEC 4)
- Educating student-athletes on the vote-by-mail process being implemented in certain states for the November general election and helping them adhere to key deadlines; (SEC 5)
Mizzou Made Academics and Student-athlete Development will send out texts/emails to student-athletes with instruction on how to check registration status and how to register to vote online. Academic tutors will also help their student-athletes through registration process
SAFE/SAAC representatives from each sport program will encourage their teammates to register to vote. Head Coaches will also provide their student-athletes opportunities to check registration status and to register to vote during a team meeting.
Athletics staff will also receive an email with instruction on how to check registration status and register to vote. MACIE and MACIE Ambassadors will provide instruction and support for athletics staff.
Athletics-department-wide message to check registration status and vote on September 22 National Voter Registration Day.
II. November Election (SEC 6,8)
- Accommodating and supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff who are able to vote in person in the November general election and thereafter; (SEC 6)
- Identifying strategies to celebrate student-athletes, coaches and staff who participate in the November general election and thereafter.
Head Coaches are encouraged to make Election Day an off day, so that student-athletes will have time to vote. If transportation to a polling place is needed, Head Coaches will coordinate transportation for their student-athletes.
MACIE and MACIE Ambassadors work with athletics staff to coordinate transportation to polling place.
Celebration of student-athletes, coaches and staff who participate in November general election using an athletics-branded "I voted" digital sticker that student-athletes and staff can post with their photo (optional) on social media.
Encouraging student-athletes to join student-athletes across the country to work at the polls for the November election; this is an excellent experiential learning opportunity.
COORDINATION WITH UNIVERSITY-WIDE EFFORTS
I. Collaboration with Campus (SEC 7)
- Collaborating with university-wide offices to connect athletic department education and participation efforts with broader, related university efforts; (SEC 7)
Collaborate with Political Science faculty to provide education on elections.
Working with Boone County Clerk to have Mizzou Arena or the Hearnes Center designated a central poll (meaning that any registered voter could vote there and there would have ballots available for any address place) for the November General Election.
KEY DATES
- In Missouri, a student-athlete/staff member must register to vote by October 7, 2020 to vote in the Presidential General Election on November 3, 2020.
- Absentee ballot requests for the November General Election must be received by the local election authority by 5 p.m. on October 21, 2020.
- Governor Parson signed Senate Bill 631 into law on June 4, 2020, which authorizes mail-in ballots for the November 3, 2020 General Election to avoid the risk of contracting or transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). Note that mail-in ballots must be notarized. The mail-in ballot request for the November General Election must be received by the election authority no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 21, 2020
ROLES
MACIE and MACIE Ambassadors
- Leadership for MU's Plan for the SEC VOTER EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
- Coordinate and support student-athlete peer-to-peer education on voting history with Head Coaches
- Administrative support with staff voter registration
- Work poll on Election Day
Head Coaches
- Support for student-athlete/staff participation
- Use weekly messaging from MACIE to engage in discussion with student-athletes during peer-to-peer education
- Encourage student-athletes to engaged in education opportunities and provide opportunities for voter registration
- Make Election Day an off day, if possible, and facilitate student-athletes getting to polling place
Student-athlete Leadership Groups
- Encourage teammates to register to vote, participate in education opportunities
- Engage in education on History of Black American Voting Rights and Election Process and Candidate Evaluation
- Encourage teammates to vote
