Q & A: What You Should Know about Election Day Preparedness and Safety

Vice President for Safety and Operations Baxter Goodly shares information about Election Day and tips for students, faculty and staff to stay safe.

October 29, 2024

Election Day 2024 is days away, and many teams across the university have been hard at work to keep the George Washington University community informed and support safety on campus.

Vice President for Safety and Operations Baxter Goodly recently shared important information he wants all students, faculty and staff to know heading into next week.

What should the community expect on Election Day, and what is the university doing to prepare for it?

Election Day in a presidential election year is an important moment in history-for the country, the District, and our campus community. Given its significance, we expect to see increased activity in and around the District. In previous years for these and similar events, we have seen road closures or limited pedestrian access in various areas. We also see increased demonstration activity and the possibility of conflict between people with different perspectives, or between demonstrators and the police.

To support our preparedness, the university plans to stand up its Emergency Operations Center on Election Day. The center coordinates among our university stakeholders, monitors events around campus and across the area, and recommends changes to university operations when needed to keep all members of our community safe. To enhance security proactively on campus, we also plan to ensure full staffing of our GW Police Department and additional security personnel, and we will lock buildings to restrict access to only GW community members. Finally, given the complexity of Election Day and all the partners involved, the university continues to stay in close coordination with our local, state, and federal partners.

Q: Is the university concerned about a specific threat to GW in connection with Election Day?

A: We do not have any reason at this time to believe there are any threats targeting GW or other District institutions in connection to Election Day.

Q: How does GW coordinate with partners and what teams at GW are involved in this?

A: At GW, we are really fortunate to have strong relationships with our colleagues in District and federal departments and agencies. Our dedicated teams in the Office of Emergency Management and GW Police Department are in constant communication with their counterparts to receive updates and, whenever relevant, we share those updates with our community.

Q: How can students, faculty, staff and others ensure they are informed of these updates?

A: The No. 1 way to receive important information from the university related to campus safety, changes in operations, or other impacts is to monitor Campus Advisoriesand GW Alerts. If you have not already, I strongly recommend everyone sign up to receive GW Alerts by text. Anyone in the community can also add numbers for loved ones who may also want to receive GW Alerts. It is the best and fastest way to get information that may impact your safety on campus.

Q: What is the university's current operating plan for Election Day?

A: As the university shared previously, Election Day is a university holiday. This means that synchronous classes will not be held, and offices will be closed as a paid day off. Additional information about building hours or other operating adjustments will be posted as it is available on the Election Day Safety website.

Q: What should students or others know if they plan to participate in a demonstration?

A: Demonstration activity is common around important events in history, and Election Day in the District may draw crowds of individuals who want to express their First Amendment rights. I encourage anyone who plans to participate in a demonstration to review our personal safety and preparedness resources.

In part, we recommend that you report suspicious behavior, share your plan with others, stay with a group, have a meeting point if you are separated, and always follow the instructions of on-site law enforcement. Also, always carry your GWorld card and another form of identification. And anytime you feel unsafe, you should trust your instinct and leave the area.

Q: Is there anything community members can do now to prepare for Election Day?

A: Over the next few days, I hope everyone in our community will continue to monitor email for updates and stay informed with the latest information about campus operationsand the environment in the District. Review our safety information. And make sure you are signed up for GW Alert texts!