Mason Votes is a student-run organization that promotes political awareness and involvement (photo courtesy of Mason Votes).

Mason Votes, the George Mason University’s student-run political awareness organization, will receive the Democracy Cup Award from the Campus Election Engagement Project. Mason was recognized as one of the top four campuses within Virginia higher education to "engage their campuses and communities in the 2012 election," according to a press release.

"The CEEP is a national organization that tries to educate college campuses and students about the importance of being involved in the democratic process," said Shane Smith, executive director of Mason Votes and senior at the university. "We relied on them for the grant money that we applied [for] and received in order to do the things that made us successful in the end."