Student organizations emphasize importance of voting as election day nears

This fall, Lehigh political organizations have been addressing student voting issues through their events and outreach, educating students on the importance of the upcoming midterm election and their vote. 

Baylee Baker, ‘28, is in her second year-long term as president of the Lehigh College Democrats. 

Baker said the organization holds events to help engage students and strengthen their voter literacy. Some of these events involve “decoding” the ballot for attendees  and requiring voter registration and a plan to vote to attend to enter and participate. 

Sammy Petras, ‘29, is the treasurer and marketing chair of Lehigh College Democrats alongside Baker. Petras said she makes signs for voter registration events to inform people about the midterm election. 

Petras also serves as  election point person for Students Demand Action, coordinating events regarding the upcoming election and helping register people to vote. 

Students Demand Action is a nonpartisan organization promoting gun safety legislation and gun violence prevention through legislation. 

In her role, Petras emphasizes the importance of registering to vote in Northampton County, part of Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

“We’re one of the most competitive districts in both Pennsylvania and in the country as a whole,” she said. “If we register more students here, then they have a larger, louder voice in this election than they do compared to if they were to register at their home location.”

Being from Texas, Baker said Northampton County is unique because it’s a swing district with politically engaged residents that frequently organize. She said she doesn’t see this often in her home state.

“Our votes matter a lot more (here) than they might in a county that’s fully red or fully blue,” Baker said. “Genuinely a handful of people could be the decision between which house representative gets elected. (Political activism) is very strong here and I really like it. I think it also builds a bigger sense of community.”

She said she believes the most important issues facing the Bethlehem community right now include immigration and ICE, policies impacting international students and data centers. 

Lehigh College Democrats has been working to reach a wider student population to educate them. Baker said thinks students are getting their information on candidates and community issues mostly through social media, students living off-campus and campaign mail. 

With similar goals, Students Demand Action tabled at the Bethlehem Farmers Market two different weeks  to inform people what a Gun Sense Candidate is and answer voter registration inquiries. 

The group has also posted resources on their social media and gone door-to-door to inform people of the importance of this midterm election.

“Social media is a very nasty place and this race is very intense,” Baker said.” “They’re not necessarily playing nice.” 

She also said the campaign mail pertaining to the PA-07 congressional race has included targeted negative speech between the candidates. She said this is an issue because the negativity is being delivered right to someone’s doorstep. 

“I feel like voter literacy is a little bit on the poorer side right now,” Baker said. “Because it’s not a presidential election, there’s not as much big news about it and not as many people are talking about it,” Baker said.

Other student leaders believe the political climate has also made it difficult to converse with peers who may hold opposing views. 

Angel Castañeda, ‘27, serves as president of Lehigh’s Students for Life club and an executive board member of Bridge Lehigh. BridgeUSA was founded on Lehigh’s campus to begin programming spring 2026, according to its Instagram. The multipartisan club is part of a national organization, BridgeUSA, which aims to fight political division.

Similarly, Castañeda said he hopes to encourage more open political discussions among students. 

Castañeda considers himself a conservative but not a Republican. He said expressing political beliefs on campus in general can be challenging. 

He said Students for Life has received negative comments on Instagram, which he believes can contribute to the lack of political conversations at Lehigh. 

“Someone has to step up to be the conservative voice on campus,” Castañeda said. 

Although he is originally from Texas, like Baker, he said he plans to vote in Pennsylvania in this year’s midterm election and has been doing so for the last three years. 

Castañeda also encouraged students to research candidates and their policies before voting, pointing to Ballotpedia, as a way to learn more about the candidates. 

Baker said she has talked to peers who didn’t know who Bob Brooks and Ryan Mackenzie were and said this reflects a broader voter literacy crisis.  

She said part of the inspiration behind the events she organizes for Lehigh College Democrats is preventing misinformation around local elections. 

Petras said Students Demand Action is working with Donuts + Democracy on election day,  giving out donuts outside the church on Vine Street, the poll location for many Lehigh students registered in Northampton County.

Donuts + Democracy is a non-profit organization fiscally sponsored by the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst, a political action committee.

“The local politicians and local elections really affect the day-to-day life around here,” Baker said. “I wish (students) would seek out to be more informed about those and make informed decisions (with) their votes.”

Baker also said she hopes every first time voter or student voter understands the importance of voting all the way down the ballot, including voting on local politics.

“I actually do think Lehigh students can decide this race,” Petras said. “If you look at the midterm election in 2024, it was decided by 4,000 votes. There are over 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty who live and reside in Northampton County, and the Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District. So I do believe that the power is within students.”