College Corner

How young people are being motivated to vote in record numbers

Young people understand what their colleges, and the rest of the world, have been telling them – this election could be the most important of their lives.

Riley Solomon, Editor-in-Chief|October 27, 2020

What colleges are doing to motivate young people to vote is hugely important in determining what this election could look like.

With voting for the general election coming to a close in only one week, both presidential candidates are focusing their campaign efforts on target audiences all across the country. These include people in battleground states, people of different races and demographics, and people across a wide age range, particularly young voters. This year, voter turnout for those between the ages of 18 and 29 has been historic; data from Tufts University has shown that as of Oct. 24, more than three million people within that age range have already cast their vote.

But, what is really driving these young voters to show up in such historic numbers? Many college-aged students have reported increased reminders from their schools to get out the vote over the past few months.

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Hills alum and former Trailblazer writer Alex Truszkowska stated that her school, The University of Maryland, has been sending daily emails and tabling around campus to remind students to vote.

Similarly, Pascack Valley alum and current Rutgers student Sophia Lange remarked how students at her school “got an email with resources a while back.” She also noted that when they log into their student profiles, there is a tab with links, information, and a step by step video guide on how to vote and make sure their vote is counted.

However, while Rutgers and UMD are two of many schools encouraging their students to get out the vote, Hills alumni Katie Vindigni has shared that her school, Wilmington University, has not been providing students any extra resources about voting. A poll conducted on social media shows that Wilmington is not the only school that has been doing so. Nonetheless, young voters at these schools have still found ways to get information about voting and stay motivated about the upcoming election.

One such student, who attends Modesto Junior College in California, has said that although her college has not given any information about the election, she has been keeping up to date with the news surrounding the election through social media and friends.

Young people understand what their colleges, and the rest of the world, have been telling them: This election could be the most important of their lives. Movements organized by young people, such as the nationwide anti-gun violence movement, March For Our Lives, or even local movements such as the equity rally in Woodcliff Lake this year, which was organized by college students, prove that young people have the power to determine the outcome of the entire election.

“This year is a crossroads for many Americans. People on both sides are increasingly feeling that those elected by our democratic republic don’t truly represent them. Both sides of our political system are fragmented and split. Young people are consistently the lowest-performing demographic for voter turnout, seniors being the most active. For voters aged 18 to 29, the turnout was around 46% in 2016 and for voters aged 65 and older that number as greater than 70%. College students and the younger generation need to realize that their voice is only heard if you cast your ballot, so it’s important that they vote,” spoke Dillon Blowers, a member of the Hills Class of 2018 and now a junior at Rutgers University.

Since the results of this particular election will have drastic effects on the entire country, young people certainly have a lot at stake, as they are not only the ones that will be dealing with the brunt of those effects, but they are also the ones that will be entering jobs in the future that will put them in positions of power. That is why it is so important that young people have a hand in this election, and that everyone votes. What colleges are doing to motivate young people to vote is hugely important in determining what this election could look like.