Mary Washington students cast their ballots on Election Day and hosted a full slate of activities to help classmates become informed, empowered participants in the democratic system. Photo by Sam Cahill.
With “I voted” stickers proudly displayed, University of Mary Washington students spent Election Day making their voices heard. Throughout the crisp fall day, the red Fredericksburg trolley shuttled between UMW’s campus and the city’s Dorothy Hart Community Center filled with students ready to cast their ballots and take part in a campus tradition of civic engagement.
The trolley rides were part of a full slate of Election Day activities coordinated through Mary Washington’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) by UMW Votes. The nonpartisan program, which earned Mary Washington a “Voter Friendly Campus” designation for 2025-26, helps students become informed, empowered participants in the democratic system.
“Our goal is to make voting accessible, exciting and educational,” said CCE Director Sarah Dewees. “We want every student to know their vote, and their voice, matters.”
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., volunteers staffed tables outside George Washington Hall, offering nonpartisan sample ballots and voting information, plus free stickers, buttons, doughnuts and coffee to anyone stopping by. The transportation was provided by Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg and funded this year by Every Vote Counts, a national nonpartisan, student-led organization dedicated to increasing voter access.
First-year psychology major Zenith Nolan was among the many who caught a ride. “It’s fun to be involved in the community,” she said. “And voting really does make a difference.” Read more.