Shelby Wayment ’23

A Fervor for Election Protection

Passionate about politics and well aware of its pitfalls for as long as she can remember, Shelby Wayment still assumed that the foundation itself — America’s democracy — was solid. But as her understanding became more sophisticated, and our political system more fragile, a career focus quickly took shape.

“As a lawyer, I can help advocate and fight for a more representative democracy — where everyone’s voice can be heard at the ballot box,” Wayment says.

DIGGING IN: Shelby Wayment works to protect voting rights and election integrity as the co-leader of two student-driven initiatives. Photo by Darius Riley

Shelby Wayment pictured smiling standing outside a building

Shelby Wayment ’23

A Fervor for Election Protection

Passionate about politics and well aware of its pitfalls for as long as she can remember, Shelby Wayment still assumed that the foundation itself — America’s democracy — was solid. But as her understanding became more sophisticated, and our political system more fragile, a career focus quickly took shape.

“As a lawyer, I can help advocate and fight for a more representative democracy — where everyone’s voice can be heard at the ballot box,” Wayment says.

DIGGING IN: Shelby Wayment works to protect voting rights and election integrity as the co-leader of two student-driven initiatives. Photo by Darius Riley

Having volunteered on campaigns in high school and at the University of Utah, she minored in campaign management and had two internships focused on campaign laws and voter protection. Last summer, Wayment worked with the voting rights practice group at Disability Rights California.

At Berkeley Law, she hit the ground sprinting and now co-leads two student-led initiatives. The Political and Election Empowerment Project researches campaign finance, ballot access, and other key democracy issues, and Election Law @ Berkeley Law builds community among students interested in democracy, equality, citizenship, voting rights, and representation.

“As a lawyer, I can help advocate and fight for a more representative democracy.”

At a time when everything political — and many things apolitical — seem thoroughly polarized, Wayment strives to promote election protection as a bipartisan issue.

“Elections affect voters of all political parties,” she says. “I think that the polarization and partisan debates around elections and voting has, at least in part, contributed to the vast amount of misinformation and distrust in our electoral system.”

To help combat that, Wayment brainstormed with fellow Election Law @ Berkeley Law co-leader Sara Clark ’23 and their counterparts from the Goldman School of Public Policy’s Democracy Project. The group coordinated a compelling three-part Democracy Summit last spring — each event available in person and on Zoom — to educate students about threats and concerns in our democracy.

“We wanted to give students a valuable chance to engage with these issues,” Wayment says. “Every speaker we invited highlighted the different paths young activists can take.”

The Summit featured a keynote by actress and Screen Actors Guild Los Angeles Chapter First Vice President Sheryl Lee Ralph, a panel with alumni who have run for public office or are now serving, and veterans of the civil rights movement. It assessed the state of American democracy, highlighted work needed to make change, urged students to become advocates, and promoted campus partnerships to serve democracy protection.

A former Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi, Wayment also tutors students in Berkeley Law’s first-year Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing Program and is the programs director of the school’s Ecology Law Quarterly.

“I’m struck by the genuine kindness I’ve experienced at Berkeley Law,” she says. “Even with the pandemic, the students managed to create a strong sense of community and the professors and administration have all been exceptionally understanding — particularly given the challenges of these past few years.” — Andrew Cohen

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