As Election Day looms, students have begun to take notice and participate in the voting process. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about half of college students voted in 2020, an increase of about 11% from 2016.
The Center of Research on Civic Learning and Engagement has reported political activism and social movements have increased the number of students who say they have made it a priority to become involved and informed.
“My friends are constantly talking about who they are voting for, which makes me want to do my own research and get involved,” said Jacob Shakerdge, a 20-year-old Santa Fe College student. “When you see a group of people huddled around a tent, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, you should probably go check that out.’”
While it is easy to get involved, there are still hurdles in the voting process. One of the primary issues students have with voting is confusion regarding their primary addresses.
The deadline to register to vote in Florida was Oct. 7. Most students are registered to vote at their permanent home address, which causes uncertainty about where to vote.
“They (University of Florida) don’t make it that black and white; we don’t know where to vote because our primary address isn’t in Gainesville,” said Adam Lew, a 21-year-old UF student.
In Florida, college students can register using their campus address if it is their primary address.
While voting can be easily accomplished, first-time voters often need help with the weight of it all.
“It can almost feel overwhelming for first-time voters, the sheer magnitude can feel like a lot,” said Aaron Klein, 28, director of communications and outreach for the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
Not only can the voting process be overwhelming, but today's students often struggle with the impact of social media. A Pew Research Center study found that people value getting news on social media, but worry about the ease and speed with which misinformation is spread on social media channels.
Students often find information about voting online but have trouble discerning whether the news is accurate, exacerbating student voting anxiety, Lew said.
“Social media is often terrifying,” Lew said. “I don’t use it that often, but the election propaganda is through the roof, making it hard to even want to get involved in the election process.”
Between voter registration drives and student advocacy groups, there are numerous ways for college students to educate themselves.
“Walking around campus and getting stopped by people tabling can sometimes get annoying, but when I heard it was about voting, I instantly wanted to see how to get involved,” said Marcus Khanna, a 20-year-old UF student.
Tabling relating to elections gets more attention than tabling for clubs or events, Khanna added.
Along with an influx of campuses trying to get more students involved with voting, technology has also played a huge role.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported an increase in voter registration among 18-to 24-year-olds — from 45% in 2016 to 50% in 2020 — following the rise in social media apps and election platforms on these apps.
Along with the increase in voter registration, the study revealed that of the students who registered to vote in the 2020 election, about half said they turned to social media for information on the election. “I use a variety of social media apps including Instagram and Twitter, and while I follow various news sites, election news on these apps is how I became interested,” Khanna said.
Sending mass text messages has become prevalent in elections, especially in this current cycle.
A study by the American Economic Journal shows that text message reminders can boost voter turnout by 3% to 10%. Moreover, studies showed that 98% of people view their text reminders.
“I am currently registered to vote and have received hundreds of texts from political parties,” said Shakerdge, a Santa Fe College student. “I don’t always read them, but it definitely is something that works.”
Students can visit https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home or call the Voter Assistance Hotline number, 1-866-308-6739, to learn more.
“Just vote,” Khanna said. “It has never been easier.”