The American Constitution Society (ACS) is the premiere Progressive Legal Network, with over 200 law school chapters and fifty lawyers’ chapters nationwide. ACS organizes forward-thinking law students and legal professionals to use the law as a force for positive change

Did you know that Temple Law students have Election Day off this year?

As we all know, democratic institutions in America and around the world are facing unprecedented challenges. It is our duty, and our right, as citizens to rise to face this challenge. The scope of the difficulties can seem overwhelming at times, but the beauty of Democracy is that it rests on the strength of The People as a whole, not any one of us individually. All that Democracy requires to thrive is enough people making a small positive contribution.

Our contribution at the American Constitution Society Temple Law Chapter (ACS) in spring, 2022, was leading a campaign to give every Temple Law student the day off on Election Day. We wanted to make it easier for students and faculty to vote, volunteer, and engage with the Democratic process. The simplest way to do so was to cancel class on election day.

We knew that the first step was to raise awareness of this issue and show that students wanted to be more involved on Election Day. As we had hoped, Temple Law overwhelmingly supported our proposal. The Student Bar Association, twelve student organizations, and one hundred students signed a letter to the faculty asking to designate Election Day as a Day of Civic Service. After hearing ACS’ proposal in April, the faculty unanimously voted to give students Election Day off to foster a culture of civic engagement. Now, for the first time ever, Temple Law can spend Election Day focused on Democracy instead of another day of class.

So why have Election Day as a Day of Civic Service?

Preserving our democratic norms and values requires a society-wide effort to highlight the importance of civic service. The failure to recognize the importance of Election Day has serious consequences. While presidential elections receive public attention, important elections for state and local officials are consistently ignored. Historically, voter turnout in Philadelphia is abysmal, especially during “off-years.” Citywide turnout in 2021 was only 22%. In the wards surrounding Temple, voter turnout dipped to 13%. This disengagement is a symptom of our failure as a nation to include underserved communities in the democratic process.

Law schools have an essential place in this effort because of their outsized role in establishing the values of our country’s future leaders. Law students are ideal candidates to serve Philadelphians on election day. There are a multitude of ways students can engage, such as voter canvassing, election protection hotlines, poll monitoring, and voter transportation. Philadelphia has a broad array of organizations where students could volunteer, such as the Committee of Seventy, Common Cause, and OnePA. Students could serve the city directly as poll workers, or volunteer for candidates. All these activities will provide valuable educational experiences.

However, students and faculty alike expressed to us that normal class activities make civic engagement more difficult on election day. Excused absences, while helpful, are not enough to allow students to engage in these activities and do not promote the value of civic service. Many reported forgoing volunteer opportunities out of concern that their absence from class will create a negative impression on their professors. Many professors had unofficial policies of canceling class on Election Day for these very reasons. There was a broad consensus that students should be encouraged to serve on election day, not made to jump through hoops.

Temple Law is not alone in demonstrating its commitment to public service by joining these efforts. Students and faculty from at least forty-nine other law schools have engaged in efforts to make Election Day a school holiday. Election Day is a designated class holiday or “Day of Civic Service” at Stanford University, the University of Virginia, and Columbia University. Northwestern Pritzker Law has historically done the same. Locally, Penn Law, Drexel Law, and Rutgers-Camden cancel all classes for law students on Election Day. We are thrilled that Temple Law proclaimed its commitment to Democracy and civic service by adding its name to this list.

How can Temple Law students get involved?

First, they need to sign up to attend the Election Day Engagement Fair here: https://forms.office.com/r/9DrVh3dqjE

Second, they need to attend the Engagement Fair and sign up to volunteer. The Engagement Fair will be an opportunity for students to learn about the various volunteer opportunities on election day and get to meet the non-partisan, non-profit groups around Philadelphia that make Democracy work every year.

Attending the event will be the Committee of Seventy, Common Cause PA, and OnePA. The Committee of Seventy trains poll workers to ensure our polling places are staffed. Common Cause PA trains poll monitors to assist voters at polling places. OnePA organizes election day get-out-the-vote phone banking and voter texting programs to make sure everyone votes. All three organizations will be presenting their pro-Democracy work, answering questions about election protection, and signing up volunteers.

Third, students need to volunteer. It’s not enough to have students sign up to volunteer.  ACS will be following up with students to ensure that they are as prepared as possible for Election Day. We want students to come away from this experience feeling rewarded, educated, and more deeply connected with their Democracy. Building a culture of civic engagement starts with establishing a common cause, encouraging camaraderie, and having fun. If Democracy is to persist, a culture of civic engagement must be created at Temple Law here and now.

Thank you, Temple Law!

This campaign has been a heartening demonstration of a community pulling together in challenging times. We would like to thank, in particular, Professor Bartow for working with us to rearrange the fall class schedule on such short notice. We would also like to thank the faculty and administration of Temple Law for their time and assistance with this campaign, as well as everyone who signed our petition or voiced their support. We look forward to an amazing first annual Election Day of Civic Service at Temple Law.