This summer, political science major Sophie St. Jacques ’27 served as a voter education intern for the City of Portland (Ore.) in the auditor’s office. Fun fact: One of her supervisors was political science alum James Eccles ’17, City of Portland elections analyst!
St. Jacques writes:
“I was tasked with presenting and engaging with local Portlanders about the city’s new government system, specifically the shift to ranked-choice voting. I contributed to expanding the city’s voter education campaign, with a focus on increasing engagement among young voters. I also had the chance to make history by participating in what’s believed to be the nation’s first-ever hand recount of a multi-winner ranked-choice voting contest!
“Perhaps the most unusual, yet fun, thing I did this summer was seeing the slogan I wrote, ‘Next Stop: Ranked-Choice Voting,’ alongside a photo of me featured on buses. Overall, this experience helped reinforce my commitment to democratic practices and government while highlighting the importance of citizen outreach and voter education.”
Worth a Look 