Photo courtesy of PBS.

This coming election in November, will you vote Democrat, Republican, or Independent? Will you vote at all? A 2022 study conducted by Pew Research Center found that only 37% of eligible American citizens voted in all three of the most recent national general elections. Even moreso, among the mere 37% of eligible voters who did vote, only 36% of them were under the age of 50. The other 64% of voters were all 50 and above. 

A note from Pew Research Center: The Pew Research Center defines the electorate as all citizens age 18 and older living in the United States. They don’t account for those who have lost their voting rights, such as people convicted of felonies living in certain states, or those who can vote from outside the U.S., such as citizens living abroad and members of the armed forces stationed in other countries.

Despite these startling statistics, college-aged Americans have the ability to greatly impact this election. One reading is because the Democratic Party holds a substantial edge among younger voters (including college-aged), while the Republican Party has the advantage among the older groups. It might be true that more Republican college students do not get out and vote, and if that’s the case, a higher turnout of college Republicans could greatly impact the polls. The same could be said for college-aged Democrats. It may be possible that there are more of them overall, compared to Republicans in that age demographic, so a higher turnout amongst college Democrats could stand up to the higher levels of Republican voting in the older demographics. 

Above: Pew Research Center depicts the political leanings of each age bracket. 

One barrier to Americans, especially college students, when it comes to voting is the act of registering to vote and in response, SAU once again hosted Voter Registration Day in September.

Izzy Logue, a senior who hosted one of the voter registration tables on campus, stressed the importance of registering to vote. 

Logue said, “College students are at a unique stage in life where they are forming their own beliefs and values, and voting is a powerful way to express those views. Students can influence policies that directly affect their lives, such as education funding, job opportunities, and social issues.

Having voter registration day on campus is really important…It encourages civic engagement by helping students understand the significance of participating in the political process. It also makes registering to vote more accessible, especially for students who might not have the time or resources to do it off campus.”

Dr. Duk Kim, director of international studies, seconded the importance of young voters being aware and involved this election season. 

“Young voters have a big impact on shaping the political scene and driving policy changes… When young people vote, they make sure their voices are heard, which puts pressure on politicians to pay attention and create policies that matter to them. Given their size and growing influence, young voters can be the deciding factor in tight elections, making their participation essential. Plus, voting early on helps build a lifelong habit of staying engaged, leading to higher turnout in future elections,” Kim said.

If you didn’t make it to voter registration day, Logue recommends registering online. In addition, she says to vote early or by mail if your state allows it, since college students often are unable to vote from their home address on the day of the election.

In addition to voter registration day, Dr. Kim and the political science students hosted a presidential debate watch party, a long running tradition, where students can watch the debate together, ask questions, and have meaningful discussions about government policy. 

Kim stated, “Watching presidential debates is crucial for college students, as it helps them engage with the political process and become informed voters. Debates offer insights into candidates’ positions on key issues, clarifying differences and aiding students in making decisions that align with their values.”

Whether it’s by attending the presidential debate watch party, or registering to vote, college students’ involvement in the election process is crucial to the future of our country. 

Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Registration deadlines:

• By mail (postmarked by): Oct 21
• In person during early voting:Oct 16 – Nov 4
• In-person at voting location on Election Day: Nov 5
• Online: By 11:59 PM on Oct 21

Request an absentee ballot: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/

Absentee ballot deadlines:

• Request ballot (received by): By 5 PM on Oct 21
• Return ballot by mail (received by): By 8 PM on Nov 5
• Return ballot in person: By 8 PM on Nov 5