Oregon Launches Campus Voting Challenge to Boost Student Turnout

Secretary of State Tobias Read launched the Oregon Campus Voting Challenge to increase student voter participation ahead of the 2026 general election. The initiative begins with 20 colleges and universities across the state, including Oregon State University and the University of Oregon.

Participating institutions must commit to nonpartisan actions to improve civic learning and turnout. These requirements include convening campus-wide working groups of students and administrators, utilizing engagement data, and implementing specific action plans. The program is a collaboration with Civic Nation’s ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a national initiative.

The Secretary of State's office noted that campuses using ALL IN programming have previously seen voter turnout rates 4-6 percentage points higher than their peers. Participating schools and individuals are eligible for national recognition based on their engagement achievements and the effectiveness of their action plans.