TAMIU Increases Student Voter Participation Rates on Campus
A recent report by the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE) indicated a 53% voting participation rate on campus among students at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU).
The results reflect an 11% increase in comparison to the 2016 voting rates among student voters at TAMIU. The University also saw over a 7% boost to its voter registration efforts. In 2016, voting registration was at 73% percent – this increased to 80.7 % in 2020.
A full campus report can be viewed at https://go.tamiu.edu/nslve21.
Situated within Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life, IDHE crafted the campus voting report, known as the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE).
Nationwide, NSLVE authors reported 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’s presidential election.
The 14-percentage point increase, from 52% turnout in the 2016 election, outpaces that of all Americans, which jumped 6 percentage points from 61% to 67%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“That students, often younger and first-time voters, turned out at rates commensurate with the general public is nothing short of stunning,” said IDHE Director Nancy Thomas. “We attribute this high level of participation to many factors, including student activism on issues such as racial injustice, global climate change and voter suppression, as well as increased efforts by educators to reach students and connect them to the issues and voting resources.”
Dr. Nicholas Hudson, TAMIIU Student Orientation, Leadership and Engagement director, noted that University students affirmed the national trends indicating elevated levels of voting among college students.
“Similar to results across the country, TAMIU students participated in the electoral process at record levels compared to 2016 and before. Our students continue to participate in democratic engagement activities by registering to vote and exercising their voice with their vote. The NSLVE report confirms what we already knew: TAMIU students are going beyond and having a large impact on the future as global citizens and leaders,” explained Dr. Hudson.
At the helm of this endeavor is the TAMIU All-In Democracy Task Force. Members of the Task Force focused on hosting a series of both virtual and in-person events, with an emphasis on increasing voter registration, educating the community on the democratic process and increasing voter turnout.
“The TAMIU All-In Democracy Task Force is thrilled to see the culmination of our efforts result in a double-digit increase in voting participation rates, exceeding our established goal of 50% voter turnout, and a substantive gain in voter registration rates as well as the designation of a NASPA and Campus Vote Project Voter Friendly Campus. We remain optimistic that these gains continue in future elections,” Hudson reiterated.
Past events included drive-thru voter registration drives, developing long-term partnerships with TurboVote and MOVE Texas, and participating in National Voter Education Week, among others.
IDHE’s National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement is the nation’s 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—community colleges, research universities, minority-serving and women’s colleges, state universities, and private institutions—participate.
The dataset reflects all 50 states and the District of Columbia and includes 49 of the nation’s 50 flagship schools. IDHE uses de-identified student records to ensure student privacy. The 2020 dataset is robust with 8,880,700 voting-eligible students representing 1,051 colleges and universities.
For more information, contact Dr. Hudson, Office of Student Orientation, Leadership and Engagement at 956.326.2280, email sole@tamiu.edu or visit https://www.tamiu.edu/sole/.
