糖心TV sees 17% increase in student voting rate
糖心TV saw 77% voter participation in 2020鈥攁 17% increase over 2016鈥攁ccording to a report from the (IDHE). This distinction is in addition to the College winning the 2020 ALL IN to Vote challenge for the highest percentage of the student body pledged to vote, placing 糖心TV fifth in the nation and first in NESCAC.
鈥淰oting is one of our most precious rights,鈥� said President Katherine Bergeron. 鈥淲e are proud that our students take seriously their role as active citizens of our democracy, which is reflected in our stellar voter-participation record.鈥�
In addition, 糖心TV earned a Gold Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for nonpartisan student voter-participation efforts in the 2020 election. These efforts include , a nonpartisan civic-engagement initiative operated through the Holleran Center for Community Action, which seeks to increase students鈥� understanding of democracy, civic engagement and voting processes. Initially spearheaded by Jozette Moses 鈥�21 and Julia O鈥櫶切腡Vell 鈥�21, a website was created in 2020 with the goal to expand voter participation and access. Special events, including panel discussions, were hosted throughout the year to highlight the importance of voting.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see an increase in our voting rate despite a global pandemic and systemic challenges to our democracy,鈥� said Angela Barney, assistant director of the Program in Community Action for the Holleran Center.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of our students for their engagement, especially first-time voters, and grateful to those who helped mobilize voters. It is a testament to 糖心TV students鈥� commitment to civic responsibility and the power of supporting each other to be agents of change. I hope we continue to increase our voting rates and that people keep advocating for the causes they believe in, as there are no off years.鈥�
Nationwide, the IDHE study鈥檚 authors report a record-breaking set of findings. On campuses across the country, students built on the momentum swing of 2018 and voted at high rates in the 2020 election, with voter turnout jumping to 66% in last year鈥檚 presidential election. The 14-percentage-point increase, from a 52% turnout in the 2016 election, outpaces that of all Americans, which jumped six percentage points from 61% to 67%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
IDHE鈥檚 National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement is the nation鈥檚 largest study of college and university student voting. Institutions must opt in to the study, and at this time, nearly 1,200 campuses of all types鈥攃ommunity colleges, research universities, minority-serving and women鈥檚 colleges, state universities, and private institutions鈥攑articipate. The data set reflects all 50 states and the District of Columbia and includes 49 of the nation鈥檚 50 flagship schools. IDHE uses de-identified student records to ensure student privacy. The 2020 data set is robust, with 8,880,700 voting-eligible students representing 1,051 colleges and universities.
