Ellen Salovaara ’26 is among a select number of college students nationwide recognized for their nonpartisan voter registration and turnout successes in 2024.
The is honoring Salovaara as part of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll—a national initiative recognizing students who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education, and turnout efforts in their communities.
Salovaara is one of 232 students who mobilized their fellow students to make their voices heard in a historic election cycle.
“By blending creativity with practicality, Ellen’s ability to connect with her peers, make voting accessible, and motivate others to take action showcases her exceptional leadership,” said Wendy Van Damme, associate director of public service at the McKeen Center for the Common Good, which runs ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Votes, a nonpartisan initiative to encourage students to vote. In the lead-up to last year’s general elections, Salovaara worked as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Votes program coordinator, helping register students to vote either in Maine or in their home state (read more).
Salovaara also made great efforts to ensure students knew about the Maine state primary elections, which took place in March 2024, added Van Damme. “Her campus-wide plans for civic engagement were solid, and her witty outreach through emails, posters, and social media made for compelling messages that resonated with students,” she said. “During what might have been a less attention-grabbing event in the eyes of busy students, Ellen saw to it that the right to vote was not overlooked.”
“Whether they hosted nonpartisan voter registration drives or early voting celebrations, the students honored today made sure their peers did not sleep in on Election Day,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “With 100,000 local elections happening across the country in 2025, ALL IN students continue to ensure that everyone on their campuses has the information they need to cast their ballot. The 232 Student Voting Honor Roll honorees lead by example, making nonpartisan voter participation a lifelong habit for themselves and their peers.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. Campuses that join the challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, voter participation, and ongoing engagement in our democracy on their campus. The initiative engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join .
