How Does The 2020 Presidential Election Affect College Students?

How Does The 2020 Presidential Election Affect College Students?

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(image courtesy: WQKT)

Elizabeth Lemieux Staff Writer

College students are a very large demographic in the United States of America. When they all show up to vote, they have the power to sway the election results. So, who did they vote for in the 2020 Presidential Election? How do they feel about key issues facing the country?

On November 4, a voluntary survey was sent out on social media for SNHU students to fill out. Students were asked to disclose who they voted for. Out of 15 people, 10 voted for Vice President Joe Biden, four voted for President Donald Trump and one voted for Dr. Jo Jorgensen.

In the survey, students were asked what they believe is the biggest issue facing the country right now. Four students mentioned the pandemic, four wrote about racism, and three mentioned the division in our country that has become more clear in recent years.

“Racial disparity and misinformation [are some of the biggest issues facing our country],” says Lauren Treitman, (‘21), a senior at SNHU.

The survey also asked participants if they believe the election results will affect college students and how.

“Yes, Joe Biden will get the virus under control and college students back in school and back enjoying college life. He will ensure we graduate into a safe world with respect restored to the US,” says Emily Albright, (‘23), a sophomore at SNHU.

A few participants indicated that they weren’t sure if or how their demographic would be affected by the election results.

Surely, the entire population is affected by the results of a Presidential election, but how will the college students of America fare?

The National Association of Student FinancialAid Administrators (NASFAA) provided information on how each presidential candidate felt about higher education and what they have done or plan to do for college students and alumni.

Trump proposed to cut funding for the Department of Education in the past. He has tried to abolish public service loan forgiveness and subsidized loans, NASFAA says.

However, in August of 2019, Trump signed an executive order which forgives student loans for any US veteran who is permanently disabled. He also signed an executive order this year to extend the CARE Act, an act that paused payment and interest accrual on all federal student loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden plans to make several changes to the financial aid program and repayment process to help low-income students afford college and/ or pay off their student loans. This plan includes doubling the Pell grant award and working towards making college tuition-free for those with a family income of less than $125,000 as the College for All Act of 2017 proposes. It also includes putting conditions in place for those making less than $30,000 after graduation so they are not required to make monthly loan payments until their annual income increases, NASFAA says.

There is much more to both Trump’s history and Biden’s plan moving forward. Both of their higher education plans can be found on the NASFAA site.

By the end of November, Joe Biden was confirmed to be the future 46th president of the United States. The results were called by several news sources including the Associated Press, NBC, and Fox News. TheTrump administration, however, fought these results by demanding recounts and threatening to sue several states with the claim of a lack of transparency and legality, says NPR.

College students can greatly affect any election. In turn, any election can greatly affect college students. It is recommended that everyone do their own research, find unbiased news sources and exercise their right to vote when the time comes.