UDC Participates in the UNITY’18 Ronald W. Walters National Election Day Command Center (RWCC)

Political Science students (Lisa Williams, Nathaniel Henderson, Melia McIntyre, Monica Bowie, and not shown Marcus Shaw and Vidale Watson) along with Drs. Guy Shroyer and Shiela Harmon-Martin participated in the UNITY’18 Ronald W. Walters National Election Day Command Center (RWCC), held on election day, November 6, 2018, at Howard University. RWCC operated as the Election Day hub for the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and its UNITY campaign partner groups, which includes Black Women’s Roundtable & Black Youth Vote, Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center, and Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.  The purpose of RWCC is to monitor, track and report on voting patterns, candidates and issues important to black voters. Throughout the day, RWCC volunteers participated in monitoring and communicating with individuals working in field operations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Students participated in “real time” reporting of voters’ experiences at the polls. They also monitored black voter turnout and voting patterns, as well as analyzed election results to share with the nation through social media and traditional media outlets. It was a valuable, insightful experiential opportunity for students to observe practical electoral politics.