4 in 5 college students in states likely to have close elections report having been asked to make a plan to vote

With the election less than two weeks away, get-out-the-vote groups emphasize making a voting plan as a way to help voters think through the mechanics of making sure they will have a chance to vote.  Youth turnout is likely to play an important role this year, and approximately 80% of college students report they have already been asked to make a voting plan, according to a recent voluntary survey The Civics Center conducted via email beginning October 20.

Maine and North Carolina saw the highest percentage of college students–95% or more–report that they have been asked to make a plan. Georgia similarly showed a significant majority of students–about 85%–indicate they had been asked.

A lower percentage of students in Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin, however, report that they have been contacted about creating a voting plan. Approximately 78% of students in Ohio, 70% of students in Texas, and 72% of students in Wisconsin say they have been asked. Responses from students attending the University of Wisconsin, in both Madison and Milwaukee, indicated that they have been bombarded with voting messages much more than other students. Among the students contacted in Colorado (mostly from the Colorado Springs area), a far lower percentage–only 52%–said they had been previously contacted about making a voting plan.

Of the nearly 80% of respondents who said they have been contacted, about 25% said that someone at their university (including administrators, professors, and student groups) had encouraged them to make a voting plan, and 30% report having been asked by multiple sources. Friends and family, social media, and organizations were also among the top sources for asking these students to make a plan to vote. Fewer than 5% of respondents said they have been asked to make a voting plan by a political candidate, party, or campaign. Only about 1% of respondents reported that they learned about creating a voting plan in high school. 

The results of this survey were intended only to provide a limited snapshot immediately in advance of the election and based on available data from more than 30 colleges and universities. It is likely that non-college youth have been contacted to a lesser degree than college students about making a plan to vote, and the survey results may not be representative of each state as a whole. There is still time to reach young people in advance of November 3 to improve youth turnout.

With voting already underway in many states, large numbers of college students across the country report having been asked to make a plan to vote, often by many sources. In order to boost turnout amongst youth and first-time voters, it is crucial that we all help to ensure every student is asked to make a voting plan. Youth voters can start their plan at thecivicscenter.org/resources.