Students find their voices through Mason Votes

Mason Votes connected several hundred George Mason University students with voter registration, election information, civic discussions, and early-voting opportunities ahead of Virginia's November 3 general election.

Voter registration and education

Voter registration and education events took place at the Johnson Center East Plaza on September 15 and October 6. The first coincided with National Voter Registration Day and included opportunities to register to vote, learn about upcoming elections, participate in sidewalk chalking, and create short videos about why voting matters.

The second event, held during Voter Education Week, continued the organization's voter registration and education efforts. Campus organizations and community partners, including the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area and REV UP Virginia, participated in the fall programming.

National Black Men Voter Day

On October 24, the programming expanded with the inaugural National Black Men Voter Day at Merten Hall. At "Voices to the Polls: Engaging Black Men, Empowering Communities," students, alumni, elected officials, and community leaders discussed civic participation, including voting, serving as a poll officer, and running for public office.

Catherine Read, mayor of the City of Fairfax and a George Mason alumna, opened the event with a proclamation recognizing October 24 as National Black Men Voter Day in the city.

Philip Wilkerson III, an employer engagement consultant with University Career Services and George Mason alumnus, moderated a panel that included his father, retired Army Col. Philip Wilkerson Jr., a longtime poll officer. The father-son exchange addressed voter engagement across generations.

Panelist Renard Carlos, a George Mason alumnus who was elected mayor of the Town of Warrenton on November 3, according to unofficial election results, shared an experience from a previous campaign to illustrate the importance of individual votes. He is expected to take office in January 2027.

"When someone says their vote doesn't matter: I lost my [previous] campaign for mayor of Warrenton by 11 votes. Eleven votes. Every vote counts," Carlos said.

George Mason English major Amaiyahmonet Parker, president of George Mason's NAACP chapter, described the significance of voting in the context of her family's history and the experiences of Black Americans and immigrants.

"We have real power in our vote," Parker said.

Voting Access

Mason Votes also hosted Party at the Polls to help students cast ballots during early voting, with free shuttles from Merten Hall and Sandy Creek to the Fairfax County Government Center, an early-voting location. The event also included food and music.

Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus saw strong voter turnout, with 753 ballots cast, representing 31% of registered voters, compared to 513 in 2024, representing 24% of registered voters, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

Students interested in post-election analysis can attend two upcoming events at Mason Square, After Virginia Votes, hosted by the Virginia Public Access Project, on Tuesday, November 10, and Pizza and Perspectives: 2026 Election Debrief, hosted by University Life and the Schar School, on Tuesday, November 17.