Drake University is once again proud to have secured our campus as an early voting site on Monday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Knapp Center. Learn more. Below you’ll find information on how to vote as well as some of our upcoming events.

Register to Vote

If you plan to vote in Iowa, check your voter registration and make sure your address is current. College students may choose to register at their home address or their Drake address but may only be registered in one location. The deadline to pre-register or update your registration is Monday, Oct. 19. Iowa also allows eligible voters to register or update their registration when voting early or on Election Day. Check your Iowa voter registration or polling location. 

Ways to Vote

Iowa voters have several options:

Vote early on campus. Drake was once again named a satellite voting location. Vote early on Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Knapp Center. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge voter celebration will also be held on Oct. 19 in Helmick Commons from 12 p.m.–4 p.m. Enjoy the food trucks, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, or walk with us to the polls! 

Vote absentee by mail. Absentee ballot requests must be received by your county auditor by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19.

Vote on Election Day. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. You must vote at the polling location assigned to your address. If you are using your campus address, your polling location will be Lutheran Church of Hope (2500 University Ave.). 

On-campus residents registering on-site must bring a government-issued ID and a screenshot and/or printout of documentation showing your current Drake address. To access your residence hall address for proof of residency, you can sign into myDrake and under the My Drake Profile category select My Addresses. We highly recommend you bring a printout of your proof of residency when going to vote.

Upcoming Events

The Ron and Jane Olson Institute for Public Democracy (OIPD) is also organizing two associated events—an early vote party on October 19 and a teach-in event on October 23.

Early Vote Party

The early voting party will occur Oct. 19 at Helmick Commons from 12–4 p.m. and will include food, music, opportunity to register to vote, and available absentee ballots. At 4 p.m., everyone will walk to Knapp to cast their ballots.

Drake Decides: A Teach-In on the 2026 Election

Presented by the Ron and Jane Olson Institute for Public Democracy, Drake University 

When: Friday, Oct. 23 9:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room

All students are invited to a teach-in to learn more about the 2026 election. Sessions will run back-to-back; come and go as your schedule allows. Coffee, DoughCo and snacks will be served.

9:45 am: Welcome and how to vote 

10:00: Creating a culture of civility: How to build community at Drake in a divided time 

11:15 am: Break 

11:30 am: What’s on the ballot, why it matters, and how to cut through the noise 

12:30 pm: New World Disorder? The end of the post-World War II international order 

2:00 pm: Break 

2:15 pm: Drake Students: What matters to you in the 2026 Election and why 

3:30 pm: Trust your vote: what happens to your ballot from the box to the certified count

— Jessica Vanden Berg, The Olson Institute for Public Democracy

The J-Term and Spring 2027 schedule of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, November 2^nd.

View registration information, including the registration time table that shows when you become eligible to register. View the schedule of classes.

Some courses will be temporarily reserved for students who have declared a certain field-of-study (major, minor, concentration, or endorsement). On Monday, November 16^th, those reservations will be removed. Note that some courses have restrictions that are permanent.

If you are an undergraduate or pharmacy student intending to make any changes to your field-of-study and have those changes take effect before registration begins, file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26^th. Requests submitted after this date may be delayed.

The change of record request can be found by navigating to myDrake, selecting Self-Service under commonly used apps, and clicking on the link for the change of record request under Student Records.

— Ryan Trump, Academic Excellence & Student Success

Score a touchdown for your community by donating blood! Join LifeServe and Drake University Athletics for our Bulldog Football Blood Drive at the Knapp Center on Oct. 26.

Donors will not only have the ability to impact up to three lives, but they’ll also take home our exclusive “I Bleed Blue” t-shirt AND a free ticket to the Bulldog’s football game on Nov. 7. Plus, Drake football players and Coach Matt Walker will be on hand during the blood drive to take pictures and chat with donors.

Show your Bulldog spirit and schedule your lifesaving appointment today!

Bulldog Football Blood Drive – LifeServe Blood Center

The Drake University community is invited to participate in the Annual Fall Campus Safety Walk on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m. Participants should gather in the Olmsted Center Lobby before the walk begins.

The Campus Safety Walk is an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and community members to come together to identify safety concerns, share observations, and help strengthen the campus environment. As participants walk through campus, they will have the opportunity to discuss lighting, landscaping, signage, accessibility, and other factors that contribute to a safe and welcoming community.

This collaborative event promotes awareness, encourages engagement, and provides valuable feedback that helps university leaders address safety-related concerns. The Safety Walk is an important part of Drake University’s ongoing commitment to fostering a secure and inclusive campus for all students, employees, and visitors.

🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ Join us for the Drake Campus Safety Walk!
Let’s come together to promote awareness, build community, and make our campus safer for everyone. 💙🛡️

Students, faculty, and staff interested in participating or learning more are encouraged to contact:

• Sebastien Meyers, Student Health and Safety Senator
  📧 Sebastien.Meyers@drake.edu
• Scott Law, Executive Director for Public Safety & Operational Services
  📧 Scott.Law@drake.edu

We hope to see you on Oct. 20 as we work together to make Drake University an even safer place to live, learn, and work.

— Scott Law, Public Safety & Operational Services

Whether you’re heading to a late-night study session, returning from an event, or simply crossing campus after dark, Drake offers several resources designed to help you stay safe.

Drake Guardian: Safety in Your Pocket

The Drake Guardian App is one of the most valuable personal safety tools available to the Drake community. More than 2,500 students, faculty, and staff members are currently registered users.

Features include:

• Safety timers
• Emergency contacts
• Friend and family monitoring
• Location sharing
• Campus safety information
• Emergency response tools

The app is especially useful when traveling alone, exercising outdoors, or walking across campus at night. The safety timer feature allows trusted contacts and Public Safety to be notified if you do not arrive safely at your destination.

Safe Ride Bus Service

If you’re uncomfortable walking across campus during evening hours, consider using the Safe Ride Bus Service. Safe Ride provides a convenient alternative to walking alone and can be an excellent option during bad weather, late-night hours, or whenever you simply want an added layer of safety.

Blue Light Emergency Phones

Blue Light emergency phones are located throughout campus and provide a direct connection to Drake Public Safety.

Use a Blue Light phone when:

• You need immediate assistance.
• You are concerned about suspicious activity.
• You feel unsafe walking alone.
• You need to report an emergency.
• Your mobile phone is unavailable.

Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the locations of Blue Light phones along the routes you regularly travel.

We’re Here to Help

If you have a safety concern, need assistance, or want to discuss an issue with an officer, please contact Drake Public Safety.

Drake Public Safety
Email: publicsafety@drake.edu (not monitored 24/7 and not for emergencies)

Emergency or Immediate Assistance:
515-271-2222

By using the Drake Guardian App, taking advantage of Safe Ride, utilizing Blue Light phones, and making smart choices during nighttime travel, we can continue to make Drake University a safe, welcoming, and supportive community for everyone.

— Scott Law, Public Safety & Operational Services

The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University will convene national leaders from the private sector, public sector, and self-advocacy communities at the 2026 Harkin Summit, from October 21–22 at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The Summit will focus on disability employment policy, bringing together leaders and advocates to discuss policies and practices that expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Presented in collaboration with the CEO Commission for Disability Employment, this year’s Summit will focus on the theme “Leveraging the Legacy of the ADA.” The summit will bring together leaders from across the disability policy landscape to examine the progress made since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted and work collaboratively to shape the future of disability policy in the United States.

Register for the virtual 2026 Harkin Summit.

Learn more about the 2026 Harkin Summit agenda and speakers.

— Mandy McClure, The Harkin Institute

Take a break and get creative at our October Cowles Crafternoon! Join Cowles Library and World Languages & Cultures on Friday, Oct. 16, from 2:30–4:30 p.m. to create your own Mexican folk art box or nicho—a portable altar. Professor Eduardo Garcia Villada will lead the craft activity. The event is free and all supplies will be provided. 

Come learn more about WLC’s upcoming course offerings, enjoy some snacks, and make a nicho box to take home!

— Hope Bibens, Dean, Cowles Library

Please join faculty from the Department of Political Science for a panel discussion about geopolitics and the changing nature of the global order. Topics will include challenges to the rules-based international order established after World War II, the diminishment of the United Nations, and the decline of U.S. hegemony. This event will be held on Friday, Oct. 23, from 12:30–2 p.m. in the Reading Room at Cowles Library. The event is being co-sponsored by the Maxwell Fund and the Department of Political Science, and will be included on the agenda for Drake Decides: a Teach-In on the 2026 Election, presented by the Ron and Jane Olson Institute for Public Democracy. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

— Debra DeLaet, College of Arts & Sciences