FAMU’s Stroll to the Polls Promotes Voter Education
Florida A&M University leaders and student organizations hosted Stroll to the Polls
to help students understand the voting process and prepare for the 2026 general election.
The all-inclusive event is designed to inform students on voter education and civic
participation. 
A student representing the reason for the season on her shirt. (Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
Taking place in mid-October, the event began with an afternoon check-in near the snake statue outside the Center for Academic Student Success (CASS) Building. Participants then walked to the steps of Lee Hall for a concluding program featuring university leaders, students and faculty.
Edward Kincheon Jr., assistant director of fraternity and sorority life and volunteer programs, said the event builds on a 2024 initiative that brought students in fraternities and sororities and those unaffiliated with those organizations together to encourage voting.
“Nearly two years later, we’ve brought that energy back, with a focus on helping students
prepare before early voting begins and increasing Rattler voter turnout,” Kincheon
said. “Our student leaders have influence, and this is an opportunity to use it to
educate and encourage their peers.” 
Mister FAMU Evan Lesure shares his thoughts on the significance of excercising the
right to vote. (Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
The event focused on voter education ahead of Leon County’s early voting period, which runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 1, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office. Students did not cast ballots during the event, which focused on helping them understand the voting process.
Participating organizations included the Student Government Association, Electoral
Commission, Campus Activities Board, the FAMU Chapter of the NAACP, fraternities,
sororities, and other student groups; However, students did not need to belong to
an organization or have prior voting knowledge to participate. 
Students fixed their ears and eyes on various speakers during the Stroll to the Polls
event in mid-October for an education on voting. (Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
Kincheon emphasized the importance of students knowing where they are registered to vote. Voters registered in Leon County can use any designated earlyvoting site in the county, including FAMU’s Efferson Student Union. On Election Day, they must vote at their assigned polling site. Students registered elsewhere should contact their local elections office to confirm their options.
Beyond explaining the logistics of voting, organizers hoped to help students understand how elections connect to issues affecting their communities.
Kenisha Thomas, Ph.D., a professor of social work at FAMU, involved in the initiative, said voter education aligns with social work’s emphasis on advocacy and social justice. She said students often focus on major races without researching candidates’ policy positions or how those policies affect individuals, families and communities.
Because of this, Thomas said she hoped students would examine policy priorities and recognize that civic engagement extends beyond elections to attending public meetings, joining coalitionsand advocating for policy changes.
Thomas said she wants students to leave knowing how to become “informed, educated, and empowered.”
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., show that they are down with the Rattler
Vote. (Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
Student-to-student outreach was another part of that effort. Jalen Fields, a social work honors scholar and Campus Vote Project democracy fellow, helped share voter registration and education information. He said some students remain registered in their home counties or states and need guidance on their voting options while attending college.
“I think hearing it from your peers is very important when it comes to actually caring
about what people are talking about," Fields said. "We hear from adults all the time.
I mean, we all are adults, obviously. But when you hear from people doing the same
stuff as you, it's more relatable, and it's way easier to engage with that than something
else." 
Members of the Student Government Organization like Yeremiah Evans also took to the
podium to talk about voting. (Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
For students like Amir Ummah, a psychology major with a pre-law minor, participating in the election was an opportunity to better understand policies affecting where he lives. Ummah identified education as a topic that matters to him and said he wants to research candidates’ plans before deciding whom to support.
“I just want to know everything that I can, to be honest,” Ummah said. “The good, the bad, the ugly, and you know, it all, before I make any decision.” In his pursuit of voter information, Ummah said he will continue to spread awareness through word of mouth to get more of his peers aware and engaged.
Organizers said Stroll to the Polls was nonpartisan, with speakers, activities, and promotional materials focused on voter education rather than supporting or opposing candidates or political parties.
FAMU has welcomed several candidates to campus this election season, including Byron
Donalds, David Jolly and Angie Nixon. Former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey
Abrams will visit Friday for a voter education event. These engagements support the
university’s educational mission by fostering civic literacy and informed participation
in the democratic process. As a nonpartisan institution, FAMU does not endorse or
oppose political candidates or parties. 
(Photo by Jeff Adams/FAMU)
Media Contact
Rachel James-Terry
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.edu
