ABSTRACT
Historically, young people vote at lower rates than any other portion of the electorate. Young nonvoters have significant differences by race and ethnicity. In 2016, white nonvoters were much more likely than their peers of color to cite being “too busy” to vote on Election Day. Colleges and universities can influence many of these barriers to increase voter registration and turnout. Institutions can provide shuttles or vouchers to ride-share companies on Election Day. Campus administrators checked students’ voter registration and helped them to identify their voting location. The COVID-19 global pandemic complicated voting in 2020. Several campuses launched comprehensive websites with voting information and digital tool kits to register others. Student ambassadors hosted virtual “office hours” and responded to questions about voting on social media. Historically, college students have been on the front lines of the struggle to advance voting rights in the United States.
