The WSU Center for Civic Engagement will set up an official voting hub in the Compton Union Building that opens Nov. 4.

The hub will be open from 10 a.m.—8 p.m. on Nov. 4 and from 8 a.m.—8 p.m. on Nov. 5. The Hub will be in the senior ballroom of the CUB.

Students and members of the community can cast their ballots at the hub. There will also be an option to register to vote at the Hub, unlike in previous years.

The Hub is in accordance with a Washington state law that was passed in 2020. The law mandates all higher education institutes must have a place on campus where both students and community members can vote.

The CCE is partnering with ASWSU, the CUB and the Whitman County Auditor’s office. The Hub will print ballots and provide voter pamphlets that give information on the candidates.

There will be some staff but it will mostly be run by student volunteers, CCE Director Ben Calabretta said. There will also be volunteers from the League of Women Voters.

The first voting hub at WSU was in 2020 during the pandemic. Around 900 people used the hub in 2020, but turnout is expected to be much higher this year with around 2,000 people, Calabretta said.

Calbretta points to the pandemic precautions as the reason for the lower turnout in 2020.

The Hub aims to help students vote in future elections, he said.

“When [students] leave WSU, they’ll have established that they think about the issues, they learn about what’s going on in the community and they’re able to cast their ballots based on what they know or what they’re passionate about,” Calabretta said.