A collage of Ohio governor candidates Republican Vivek Ramaswamy (top left) and Democrat Amy Acton (top right), and U.S. Senate candidates Republican Jon Husted (bottom left) and Democrat Sherrod Brown (bottom right). Collage credit: Reegan Davis | Managing Campus Editor.
With midterm elections less than a month away, college students are more likely than ever to head to the polls and cast their votes, new data suggests.
As many as 66 percent of college students will vote in the 2026 midterms, according to an August survey conducted by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learn and Engagement at Boston-based Tufts University.?
That’s a big change from traditional voter turnout among college students. Less than a third of college students voted in the 2022 election, according to Tufts.?
So, why are students more likely to head to the polls this year??
Leaders of college Republican and Democrat student groups had similar thoughts on what’s motivating students voters, though they have different takes on them.
Josie Speakman, a fourth-year in political science and president of Ohio State College Democrats, said that “stakes are highest for us students.”?
She highlighted issues affecting college students at Ohio State including private loans, the cost of living, immigration enforcement in Columbus and overall financial insecurity.?
“Campus can feel like a bubble with the city around us but more than ever the outside is bleeding in,” Speakman said.?
Hunter Willmitch, a fifth-year in political science and public management, leadership and policy, as well as the chairman and president for Ohio State College Republicans, listed many of the same issues as major concerns for his members, with an emphasis on overall affordability. He also mentioned the war in Iran and the need to get a “good grip on the economy, from a conservative perspective.”
“Students are realizing that politics have a direct impact on their lives,” Willmitch said.?
All of these issues are playing out in Ohio campaigns, headlined by a close race for governor between Democrat Dr. Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. A similarly close race for U.S. Senate pits Republican incumbent Jon Husted against Democrat Sherrod Brown, which could help decide which party controls the chamber.
These competitive races make students feel more likely that their voices will be heard, Speakman said.?
“There is a growing sense that the American dream is unattainable,” Speakman said. “With these high-impact elections coming up, students want their votes to have an impact.”?
Willmitch emphasized that “students are living in a very politically engaging environment.”?
Willmitch outlined the effects of social media on several current political issues and said that there are lots of different perspectives.??
“It is much harder for students to tune out politics these days,” Willimitch said.
Nathaniel Swigger, a political science professor at Ohio State with expertise in American politics and interests in political psychology, voting and identity, said the two biggest factors of any election are enthusiasm and anger. He said this plays out for all voters, not just college students.
“The average college student wants to know that they have a future after they graduate,” Swigger? said, while repeating many of the main issues discussed by both student leaders.
He also cautioned that Tufts’ projection on student involvement is an estimate, and that actual voter turnout could be much different.?
Swigger added that the higher profile races, the more likely people are to turn out to vote.
Both Speakman and Willmitch said they are involved in the push for student voting here on campus.?
Both groups also shared how they bring in candidates to engage with students directly and provide opportunities to learn about their platform.?
“Because we are a public university, there is an emphasis on the preparation of student voting,” Swigger said.
Swigger also mentioned the student organizations and campus movements that are specifically geared toward helping students vote.
“If you are thinking about not voting, get out there and vote because it is so critically important to have your voice heard,” Willmitch said.
For more information on voting for Ohio State students, check out Your Student Life: How to Vote on Election Day
