For Beckett Hummer, working at voter registration events is always time well spent. Even if only one person signs up all night.
“It’s always amazing” to talk to voters about taking part in democracy, said Hummer, a Fordham senior and political science major who works part-time for HeadCount, a nonpartisan voter registration organization with a national footprint.
Voting and Harry Styles
Ahead of next week’s midterm elections and the often-rancorous rhetoric surrounding them, Hummer is taking part in a movement showing how people can still be energized by the most basic ritual of democracy. It helps that she and other HeadCount workers are engaging with potential voters during happy occasions like concerts and festivals—igniting a good feeling about voting that tends to keep them connected over time.
“They’re forever going to have this positive connotation and relationship with democracy, because they’re going to relate it to how good they felt about a Harry Styles concert or having fun with their friends,” said Hummer. Data from HeadCount show that most people who register at events stay involved for years after, voting in primaries and general elections alike, she said. In addition to registering to vote, people take action with HeadCount in other ways, like updating their addresses or signing up to volunteer.
From Intern to Employee
Hummer joined HeadCount as an intern during her first year at Fordham, connecting with the organization through Handshake, the job-search platform the University provides. Today she works as a voter engagement associate, not only registering voters at events but also conducting research to inform voters on ballot questions across the country.
She has a job lined up with HeadCount for when she graduates and, in the long term, sees herself working in public policy or the legislative arena. This ambition has been honed through her Fordham experiences, like spending the spring semester at Fordham London and working with Vote from Abroad to help American students update their registration so they could vote in primary elections when they came home.
An Early Passion for Politics
Hummer’s passion for the political process took root early—she grew up around politics and public service, living in the Washington, D.C., area with a father in the military and a mother who is a county council chair. During high school she served as a legislative intern with the Maryland General Assembly and, during her first year at Fordham, served as a floor runner at the Democratic National Convention.
Attending the convention was a defining moment for her. Taking part in a historic political event, she said, she came to fully appreciate “that there’s so many different pieces moving in this, and everyone has a role in it no matter how big, how small, what little part you do,” Hummer said. “Everyone has a role in every outcome that happens.”
It’s been a busy few months for her because of the approaching midterm elections—she has worked for HeadCount across New York City at roughly 20 concerts, including high-profile spots like Madison Square Garden, and at lower-key venues and events. While working on voter registration, she and her colleagues sometimes talk to people about why they should vote in the first place.
‘We’re Just Glad That You’re Voting’
They sidestep political questions. “Our main thing is, ‘we’re just glad that you’re voting,’” she said. “My job isn’t about who you vote for, it’s that you have the information to do so.”
Sometimes they can dispel misinformation that may have turned people off to the process. They also point out that “there’s something on the ballot for everyone.”
“Down the ballot, there’s always going to be something that is going to impact you in some sort of way,” she said.
The work with HeadCount dovetails with her love for music and her pre-college summer jobs at music venues. “I grew up with a music background and the politics background, and this is really just the perfect intersection [of those],” she said. “I love what I do every day, but also every single day I can feel like no matter what is happening in the outside world, I can log off … knowing that we’ve done something positive.”
