Overview

• The Department of Education on Aug. 19 issued a Dear Colleague letter discouraging colleges from using Federal Work-Study funds for voter registration efforts, poll working, voter hotlines, or similar activities.
• Acting assistant secretary Christopher McCaghren wrote that these roles constitute political activity because they support the voting process in which ballots are cast for candidates.
• The guidance clarifies that while the Higher Education Act requires a good-faith effort to distribute voter registration forms, institutions should not provide them to students they know are ineligible to vote.
• Under Secretary Nicholas Kent said taxpayers will no longer fund poll workers, voter hotlines or political rallies on campus through work-study.
• The department urged schools to prioritize jobs that provide real-world experience related to students’ studies, and it asked institutions to remind students of federal voting laws.