UAlbany Hosts Essay Contest, Watch Party, Voter Drive Ahead of Midterms
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 22, 2026) — UAlbany students are gearing up for the upcoming midterm elections with a voter registration drive, Election Night watch party and Constitution Day essay contest.
The events are being organized by the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, working with the Office of Student Engagement and Belonging and student groups including Democracy Matters, Generation Vote and the NAACP.
Voter registration tables are being staffed at residence halls, campus apartments and the Campus Center through Saturday.
The effort follows an Oct. 16 event hosted by Democracy Matters focused on absentee voting.
Campus outreach efforts have helped more than 100 students register to vote. Students can register or check their registration status by stopping at any of the tables or visiting the TurboVote app.
Students also have until Nov. 3 to enter the University's Constitution Day Essay Contest, which asks: "How much authority should the President hold — and who decides?" The contest is open to all students.
The essay asks contestants to examine the balance of presidential authority in a constitutional democracy through 1,000-word essays drawing on history, constitutional principles and current events.
Winners will be announced on Reading Day, with prizes of $500, $250 and $100 funded by the Rockefeller College Professor Harold W. Adams Student Experience Fund.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Rockefeller College will host an Election Night results watch party from 8 to 10:30 p.m. in the Campus Center, featuring food and trivia. The event is open to the University community, with grant support from University Auxiliary Services.