(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)November 3, 2021

Outpaced student voting nationwide by 11%, according to study

MAHWAH, N.J. – Ramapo College of New Jersey reported that student voting rate was 77.1% for the 2020 election, 11.1% higher than the national average for campuses (66%). The change represents an increase of 22.7% from the 2016 general election.

“These impressive voting numbers among our students reflect a commitment to our mission and what defines the Ramapo experience:  student engagement and community involvement,” said Christopher Romano, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “At Ramapo, we develop critical thinkers who are not only highly engaged in the issues confronting our country, but active leaders in advocating for change and innovative solutions in our increasingly complex world.  That’s in their blood”.

The report comes from the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), creators of the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, or NSLVE. IDHE is located at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life.

Nationwide, the study’s authors report 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 to voting resources.”

The dataset reflects all 50 states and the District of Columbia and includes 49 of the nation’s 50 flagship schools, and includes 8,880,700 voting-eligible students representing 1,051 colleges and universities.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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