Getting STEM Students to the Polls
Across the 2012, 2016, and 2020 elections, students with majors in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have consistently voted at lower rates than their peers in other fields.
Tufts Institute for Democracy & Higher Education recently analyzed the 2020 NSLVE data and found that the average national student voting rate was 66%, impressively close to the overall national voting rate of 67%, as calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the same year, however, engineering students voted at a rate of 58%, natural science and math students voted at a rate of 62%, and technical fields voted at a rate of 56%. In 2012 and 2016, STEM students trailed the highest turnout group of social science majors by 8.9 and 9.6 percentage points respectively. Interestingly, healthcare students have been on the higher end of the spectrum in all of these years.
That said, engineering, natural sciences, and mathematics saw some of the highest increases in voter participation between 2016 and 2020 — up 16 and 15 percent respectively. Some attribute this increase to the importance of science-specific issues like climate change and the pandemic as well as the increased accessibility provided with mail-in voting. The question is, how do we ultimately close the gap between STEM students and their peers?
Some educators say the solution lies in curriculum reform. They suggest that STEM professors, as well as teachers at high school and middle school levels, incorporate a wider social context in their classes. Rather than just focusing on formulas or chemical processes, professors should take the time to integrate the wider implications of their work. At a liberal arts school like Tufts, there are certainly classes that strive to achieve these interdisciplinary goals such as “Energy in Science and Society.” The university even offers a major and minor in Science, Technology, and Society; however, there is still more to be done.
Recently, some universities have prioritized targeted outreach to STEM students. According to the University of Maryland All in Democracy Action Plan, the school will focus on messaging about why STEM students should care about democracy and how federal and state legislative decisions impact their daily lives. Other ideas may include placing reminders to vote in STEM buildings or encouraging professors to facilitate discussions about civic engagement.
Ultimately, there isn’t a clear-cut solution. It is pertinent, though, that students, professors, and the administration use current research and work together to address the STEM student voting gap.
Avery Hanna ’25