Spotlights
Dan Cope Brings Election Experience into the Classroom, Engages Students
November 02, 2021
Dan Cope, affiliate professor of integrative studies, has been involved with election work for several years. She has served on multiple receiving boards and administered the 2020 elections as a Deputy Clerk in Grand Rapids. With election season coming up, we chatted with Dan about her experience working with elections and how she engages students in her classroom with the topic.
How did you get involved with voter registration and elections?
Since turning 18, I have participated in elections as a voter,
but it was only recently that I began to work as an election
administrator. In 2017, I joined the Clerk’s office in Grand Rapids
Township as a certified election inspector. During this time, I worked
every local, state, and national election for four years in various
capacities registering voters, administering and receiving absentee
ballots, and serving on the Absent Voter Counting Board and Receiving
Board. Working the 2020 presidential election was both challenging and
rewarding as I realized how vital it is that citizens understand how
elections are administered and have faith that their clerks will
dutifully execute that process.
Why are you passionate about this work?
Jane Addams argued that democracy is not merely a system of
government but a lifestyle. It is something that we must practice
every day. A healthy community is an inclusive community, which only
occurs when every member is empowered to participate. When we see and
hear one another, we are more sensitive to the injustices that occur
in our society and are better equipped to work together to address
such problems. In this spirit, I believe voter participation is an act
of love for our neighbors and community members. As an educator, I
consider it my duty to nurture compassionate, critical, and engaged
citizens who see themselves as contributors and defenders of democracy.
How do you incorporate this topic into your classes and engage students?
I primarily teach INT 100 which includes a unit on civic
engagement. The coursework I have developed allows students to
research information about the election process by reporting on local
governance, ballot initiatives, and voting rules and responsibilities.
As a class, we have attended Democracy 101 sessions such as the First
Time Voter Workshop organized by the Community Service Learning
Center’s coalition for Campus Democratic Engagement. International
students who are citizens of foreign countries have reported on their
electoral process as well. In Winter 2021, a student from Myanmar
shared the devastating consequences of the military’s invalidation of
the 2020 general election and the suspension of democracy in her
country. She chose to share this with her classmates as a parallel
narrative to the assault on election integrity simultaneously
occurring in the U.S.
What advice would have for someone (faculty, staff, or
student) who would like to get involved with voter registration or elections?
Become an election inspector! All elections need people to
support the voting process in various capacities like being a poll
worker, a member of the receiving and counting boards, and to act as
ballot couriers on election day. Interested citizens should contact
their local clerks to apply. In addition to working on Election Day, I
encourage students to volunteer to work voter registration drives
organized by the GVSU Votes initiative.
For any questions, feel free to contact Dan Cope at [email protected].