There are only about three months to go for the presidential election. During the 2016 US Elections, schools and college campuses throughout the country were full of life and efforts for voting. However, the 2020 US election is not an ordinary one. Based on many opinions-based Trump vs. Biden polls, students are finding it hard to vote.
Due to the on-going corona pandemic, university and college campuses are shut down. Students are hence, experiencing a lot of suppression from voting. Along with getting used to remote learning, students are also slowly trying to figure out how to make a ballot count.
For instance, some students will have to get registered for the voting again from their hometown, while other students will cast their votes via mail. For a big number of students, this is a new process and not an easy one.
Students find it tough to vote
Note that even if there is no global pandemic, it can be a tough process for college students to vote. Back in 1971, college activists protested for the voting age to be lowered to at least 18. After that, half of all the eligible voters voted in 1972. However, since then, the participation began reducing.
A decline in the voting by students could be blamed to the confusing laws related to voted ID, polling places, and residency requirements. However, after the victory of Trump, voting my students seem to be picking up pace again. For instance, 40% of the students who were eligible participated in the midterm elections. In comparison, in 2014 midterm elections, only 19% of the students participated.
Based on some 2020 US Election poll results, more than 50% of the eligible voters under 35 feels like they do not have enough knowledge or resources to vote via mail. With that, campuses are also currently closed which has resulted in a lot of confusion for students.
Laws for students
With that, there are a number of laws that students are not aware of. These often put then off from voting. For instance, students in Pennsylvania who do not have an in-state driver’s license are required to send applications for ballot with request forms. Then, there is the issue of delays by postal services too. Limitations like these have created a lot of setbacks for students.
Similarly, a new law was put forth by Republicans in New Hampshire, which states that election voters must have an in-state driver’s license if they want to drive in the state and vote. However, many students do not intend to drive. As a result of this, they end up getting purged from the voter roll.
Due to a lack of experience related to voting, college students seem to be the most vulnerable to laws that limit them from voting. Furthermore, they often make subtle mistakes during their ballot applications resulting in a rejection. This combined with other factors related with the on-going pandemic has further created voting complexities for many students in the US.
Conclusion
Many US College students are still very determined to place a vote. While some of them support Trump, others are more in favor of Biden. To find out further details about whom they support and why, check out the latest Trump vs. Biden Ohio opinion polls. While these polls do not make a 100% accurate prediction, they do give a general picture of the entire scenario. Hence, by looking at polls, you can figure out what different people are expected to do. Ultimately though, the end results of the election matter the most – something that is not too far away now as the year is slowly coming to its end.
