Passionate panels, empty lawn: Democracy Day sees low turnout amid fear and apathy

The fifth annual Democracy Day took place on Tuesday, featuring a full-day schedule that included a keynote address by former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). However, many events — especially those at the flagship venue of Meyer Green — of the day-long celebration of civic engagement were met with a subdued student response.

The day is a Stanford-wide holiday where all classes are cancelled for students to vote in elections and attend events aimed at promoting civic engagement.  

At 11 a.m., several University and student organizations, including Cardinal Services, Stanford America Club, Stanford Democrats, Stanford Political Union (SPU) and others, set up tables around the central podium of Meyer Green. However, many seats in front of the First Amendment Panel were left empty. 

One student who requested anonymity in fear of retaliation, jokingly said that there are “more staff and guest speakers than audiences.”

Despite the turnout performance, Democracy Day executive committee chair Keira Chatwin ’27 was optimistic and framed the event as a growing success.

“The morning is always a little slower, but the energy has definitely built as time’s gone on,” Chatwin said at one Meyer Green event. She added that the number of student volunteers had doubled since last year, growing from 30 to 60. “I think that’s a testament to how Democracy Day is starting to become part of campus culture.”

According to Chatwin, this year’s theme, “Beyond the Ballot Box,” was intended to be inclusive, especially for those who don’t have the right to vote. 

“Civic engagement isn’t just about your ballot,” Chatwin said. “The impact you can make is regardless of where you’re from… Your perspective is valued.”

Robert Liu ’28, the vice president of Stanford Democrats, similarly noted that international students are members of American democracy, despite not being able to vote. 

“They still contribute to the civil discourse, disagreement, activism on campus… They come from places where they don’t have first amendments… and they’re able to contribute that perspective,” Liu said.

For many in Stanford’s international student community, however, that message was complicated by two powerful undercurrents: fear and apathy.

Fear was one of the central topics at the morning’s First Amendment panel, where speakers discussed the ongoing Stanford Daily v. Rubio lawsuit. The lawsuit, which challenges the federal government’s authority to revoke student visas for political speech, has created a tangible chilling effect on campus, according to panelist and Opinion managing editor Jennifer Levine ’28.

“I’m definitely concerned about that,” said Vish Karthi ’26, an international student from India and a leadership team member of SPU, which was tabling at Meyer Green.

“I received so many calls from families and relatives back home asking me not to engage in politics and not to post stuff online,” Karthi said. “I would still say, overall, I’m extremely concerned for the safety of me and my fellow peers from other countries.”

Karthi described the chilling effect as a direct loss for campus discourse. When asked if he sees robust participation in Democracy Day from his international student peers, he said, “Sadly, no.”

“I would say that I sometimes feel silent as an international student in dialogue spaces at Stanford. That’s understandable, given the concerns with the administration,” Karthi added.

Separate from fear, however, was a resounding sense of apathy.

“I was at home all day reviewing for an incoming test,” said one international undergraduate student from China, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

He attended Democracy Day last year as a freshman but this year, he said that he and his peers see the event primarily as a “day off” for academic adjustments. When asked if he felt if the day was irrelevant to him, he noted that many of his peers considered other duties and aspects of life as higher priorities. 

While Meyer Green’s events did not see large student turnout, other events across campus hosted by faculty experts were attended by many. A mid-afternoon panel titled “Democracy Under Threat at Home and Abroad” featured senior fellows from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), who presented their insights on global democratic backsliding. They ended with passionate advice calling on students to be more active in defending democracy, which included calls on promoting liberalism and “holding the opposition party accountable.”

The day’s events culminated with a keynote speech from former Rep. Adam Kinzinger on “Democracy Beyond Partisanship.” His speech was moderated by Jeannette Wang ’26, a former Democracy Day organizer, in Dinkelspiel Auditorium..

The Bechtel International Center, Stanford’s primary resource for international students, did not respond to two requests by The Daily for comment regarding how it advises international students on civic engagement and political speech on campus.

Despite low turnout, the day nonetheless constituted a worthwhile endeavor for participants like Karthi.

“There’s a significant amount of democratic backsliding going on in India,” he said. “I’m glad that I have so many wonderful opportunities to engage and practice with the idea of democracy here.”

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