A report outlined that voting among college students has increased when comparing numbers from the 2020 election to 2016.
The Institute for Democracy & Higher Education published the report, where they reported high numbers across universities nationwide.
Those numbers can also be found locally. At Ohio Northern University, voting among college students raised a whole 12 points to 65% in 2020 from 53% in 2016.
A variety of factors can be pointed to when it comes to what drove students to a voting location to cast their vote. One professor at ONU says that it's great to see students take initiative and that the 2020 election drew a large number of people, including college students, into the political arena.
"These kids are the future... from what I am seeing, the future looks pretty bright," said Robert Alexander, founding director of the Ohio Northern Institute for Civics and Public Policy. "Donald Trump and Joe Biden were talking about two very different things among a whole host of fronts, they really energized all of America, and also of course college students."
Social media use can also be pointed at, with students saying that they learn more about each candidate online.
"I think that it is a great marketing tool by politicians, they can get their ideas out and they know that we are going to see them," said Hailey Trimpey, a student at Ohio Northern University. "It can cause some issues for sure, but I definitely think that it's an innovative way to start reaching the younger generation and getting them informed about what each politician believes and what they are trying to push past."
Students at Ohio Northern University also echoed a similar message: they wanted to be able to have a say in their future, and voting was an avenue to do just that.
"I think it's important that everyone votes because it really is the only way to get your voice heard," said Kennedy Aikey, a student at Ohio Northern University. "And it's really easy to do it, it's not hard to vote, anyone can do it... it's very accessible."
