A commitment to civic engagement is earning national recognition for the work taking place at Winona State University.
The university has received the Highly Established Action Plan Seal for the 2026 election cycle, earning a score of 28.7 out of 32 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy Action Planning Guide (SADG) Rubric. This achievement places Winona State among 233 campuses nationwide that received the seal for 2026.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is dedicated to helping colleges and universities increase meaningful, nonpartisan student engagement in democracy. The organization supports campuses through resources, guidance, networking opportunities, and ongoing recognition of civic engagement efforts.
The Democratic Engagement Action Plan Rubric evaluates campuses across eight areas: executive summary, leadership, commitment, landscape, goals, strategy, reporting, and evaluation. The rubric emphasizes both student participation in local, state, and federal elections and broader democratic engagement beyond the ballot box.
“For several years, Winona State has been recognized for its voter registration drives. Student voter turnout has also generally been high,” said Matthew Bosworth, Winona State professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, Public Administration, and Ethnic Studies.
Winona State was recognized as a 2024 Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting and previously achieved a 73.8 percent student voter turnout rate in the 2020 election, the highest among Minnesota public state universities.
“It’s exciting for Winona State University to continue our legacy of civic participation and commitment to democracy,” said Katherine Lind, Winona State professor in the Communication Studies Department and director of the American Democracy Project.
The American Democracy Project Committee at Winona State encourages and enables students to find voter resources, educate others across campus and within their communities, and increase voter participation.
“It is encouraging to see students so enthusiastic about participating in civic life and engaging one another in political discussions.” Lind said.
About the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national, nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives for a more inclusive democracy, one in which all voices are heard. The organization believes higher education plays an important role in graduating students into active voters and in closing electoral participation gaps that persist across race and age groups.
Through an intentionally designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN strengthens college and university efforts to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation. Ensuring that students are registered to vote and participate in elections is a key component of its work.
Learn more and view the full list of recognized campuses at allinchallenge.org.
