Announcements
This message shares guidance and resources offered to all members of the Brown community spanning the days leading up to and following the election, focusing on resources for Election Day. With Brown’s mission to “serve the community, the nation and the world,” civic engagement has always been at the core of Brown’s mission, and Brown has designated Tuesday, November 5, as a University holiday.
The holiday provides an opportunity for all members of our community who are eligible and who wish to vote to do so, and ensures that everyone can contribute by volunteering as a poll worker, driving people to vote, or civically engaging in other ways. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of democracy and a powerful way for our individual voices to contribute to a collective future.
This message shares information about (1) voting at Brown; (2) election-related events and resources; and (3) University policies related to participation in rallies, demonstrations and other political activity on and off campus (including rules about funding for such activities).
We know that the election can bring both excitement and uncertainty, and we hope this information is a resource. We also know there will be a range of reactions to the events of Election Day and subsequent days. In several states, counting ballots cannot begin until Election Day, so vote totals for those states may be delayed. Additionally, in some places, there may be legal and procedural challenges to the process of finalizing the vote count. This means the results of the presidential election may not be known immediately.
Our priority is to ensure that our community feels informed and supported. Brown is guided by the principle that community members, in their individual capacities, should exercise free speech and civic engagement in peaceful and lawful ways. In addition, activities by all community members must continue to be guided by Brown’s status as a nonprofit, non-partisan institution.
VOTING AT BROWN
Voting has already begun here in Rhode Island and in many states nationwide, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, mail-in and early voting rapidly expanded.
Vote Early:
In Rhode Island, any registered voter can vote early until November 4; use the RI Secretary of State website to find early polling hours and locations.
Vote on Election Day:
Brown’s Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center (75 Waterman Street) will serve as the official polling location for students registered in Providence. Visit RI’s Voter Information Center to find your polling location and preview your ballot.
Rhode Island allows same-day voter registration for presidential elections. If you missed the voter registration deadline, you can register to vote on Election Day for President and Vice President, but not for state, local, or other federal races. Brown Votes will be walking anyone who needs to register to the Amica Mutual Pavilion to register and cast their ballot.
Voting Resources:
- Visit TurboVote for information about voting early, by mail, and in person.
- Visit Brown Votes, a student-led initiative supported by the Swearer Center to coordinate efforts to improve voter registration, voting participation and civic engagement, for election-related information. Brown Votes will be on the main green throughout Election Day to answer questions and guide students.
- Visit the Brown Library Guide for Voting for FAQs, voting-related resources, and a place to ask questions.
ELECTION-RELATED EVENTS & RESOURCES
Brown is committed to providing information and support for all community members. Brown hosts many election-related events in the weeks leading up to and following the election, including:
- Election Night Watch Event, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Salomon Center. During this drop-in event, students can explore live data analysis with 24cast, separate watch rooms, wellness resources from BWell, food and more. Hosted by 24cast.org and Brown Votes, in collaboration with Brown Political Review and Brown Political Union.
- What Happens Next? Unpacking the 2024 Presidential Election, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. at Stephen Robert ’62 Hall (280 Brook Street). In this dynamic conversation, a panel of political science scholars will break down the election results, exploring what happened and what it means for the future of our country. Hosted by the Taubman Center for American Politics & Policy.
- The 2024 Presidential Election: Now What?, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. at Churchill House. Hosted by Africana Studies.
- Identity centers and other offices will host drop-in hours to provide time to be in community with each other; check their newsletters for more information.
- Resources for support – including health and well-being, religious and spiritual, and incident reporting resources – can be found on Campus Life’s website.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Brown has a Political Activity Policy and has developed guidelines for community members who plan to participate in rallies, demonstrations and other political activity on and off campus:
- While personal and individual civic engagement is actively encouraged, University resources, including websites and social media, cannot be used to make political statements or otherwise engage in partisan political activity. All members of the community are responsible for adhering to the Political Activity Policy.
- University funds, whether central or from individual departments or offices, cannot be used to support travel to or participation in political or partisan rallies, protests or demonstrations.
- Brown’s nonprofit status does not allow instructional or professional workspaces to be used for partisan political purposes. Brown Votes created a civic engagement toolkit to help faculty have constructive election-related conversations in courses.
- Brown’s Public Statements Policy establishes standards regarding making public statements on local, regional, global or national events, activities or issues originating beyond Brown University.
As we continue to plan for the culmination of the election season, the University is committed to providing support and space for the exercise of free expression and academic freedom while supporting the well-being of our community. We are encouraged by the participation of Brown community members in the process of civic engagement, and we hope these resources will support your efforts.
Sincerely,
Mary Jo Callan, Vice President for Community Engagement and Stark Family Executive Director of the Swearer Center
Russell C. Carey, Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy and Interim Vice President for Campus Life