More of Bemidji’s college students voted in 2020 compared to 2016.
According to a release, the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education that student voting at Bemidji State University rose to 72.7 percent, an increase of about 12 points from 2016.
Voting at the Northwest Technical College rose about 10 points, to 63.5 percent in 2020 from 53.6 percent in 2016.
On campuses across the country, students voted at high rates in the 2020 election, with voter turnout jumping 14 points to 66% in the 2020 presidential election.
“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.”
