Seeing Eye to Eye: The Rise of the Battleground Campus Amidst the 2020 Election

This article is part of our Fall 2020 print issue. See the full, digital version of the issue here.

The tone of Elon University’s campus slightly shifted this semester to one of social and political outcry. College students began vocalizing their political views louder than ever before, both across campus and on social media. Many who were once silent are not anymore. However, it hasn’t been a simple transition for everyone. 

Model Daniel Dorociak photographed by Delaney Daniels.

A national survey from last year examined views on the political climate at colleges and universities, according to Boston-based WGBH News. A majority of adults (59 percent of those surveyed) said politics on college campuses lean toward a particular viewpoint, while 28 percent said campuses are nonpartisan. 

Of those who thought politics lean toward one particular viewpoint, 77 percent said they lean liberal, while 15 percent said they lean conservative. About half of those who see an ideological tilt at colleges and universities said this is a major problem, while 32 percent said it’s a minor problem.

Junior College Republicans President at Elon, Daniel Dorociak, has seen this divide on campus. Senior College Democrats President Alexis Malaguti has witnessed this judgement as well, but understands the importance of having a variety of opinions on campus. “There’s definitely a conservative camp on our campus, which I think is good because otherwise you get into an echo chamber,” Malaguti says. 

There is, however, a new social climate of strong political divide that developed in the few months leading up to the election, similar to the months preceding the 2016 election. So, what can you do to unite a community that is, from the outside, unable to fully see eye to eye? 

“We’re having individuals of their own accord doing more activist work through texting, postcard-writing, stuff that they can do from their own dorm,” says Dorociak. “We’re seeing a lot of individualized activism as opposed to more blanket organizational activism… So, I think more people are getting more excited about local and national politics.” 

In the Trump era, college students began voting in record numbers. In 2018, 7.5 million college students who were eligible to vote went to the polls. That was a 40 percent turnout, more than double the rate four years earlier, according to researchers at Tufts University.

“Since it’s an election year, more people are showing up, and we seem to have a good first-year engagement, which is a really great feeling knowing that people are interested in politics and this is something they want to do in their free time,” says Malaguti.

From August 1 to Election Day, about 33 percent of the Elon undergraduate student body registered to vote using TurboVote, which earned the university a #5 ranking.

Politics is an incredibly important discussion whether you enjoy it or not, but is there a point where politics is too much? A necessary conversation, but does it have to be the only conversation? Fifty-five percent of U.S. social media users say they are “worn out” by political posts and discussions, according to Pew Research. The sense of exhaustion rather than excitement over seeing political content on social media holds true across political parties. 

Republicans and republican-leaning independents who use social media are more likely than users who are democrats or democratic-leaning to say they are worn out by how many political posts they encounter on social media (63 percent versus 49 percent). On the other hand, democratic social media users are twice as likely as their republican counterparts to say they like seeing this kind of content on these platforms (20 percent versus 10 percent). 

The first amendment grants everyone the right to free speech, which makes social media a highly influential platform for anyone who wants a voice. This can, however, lead to hate or cyber bullying, especially when it comes to politics.

“The best way I was always told to shut down or combat against false accusations or people not understanding is just to know what you’re talking about,” says Dorociak. “Whatever your stance is, make sure you can back it up with five, six, seven credible sources so people don’t have to agree with you but they know you know what you’re talking about.”

Elon Votes!, a nonpartisan organization aiming to help Elon students engage in democracy, gives students access to TurboVote to help them cast their ballots. 

“Educating yourself on the political process and voting is incredibly important because the choices that you make not only have a federal impact, but they also have a localized impact on your community,” says Elon Votes Lead Voting Ambasssador Sophie Gerth. “Taking the time to collect accurate and balanced information from resources, whether that be from candidates themselves or forms of media, helps develop values that really reflect what you want to see from the political system. At Elon Votes!, we often direct students to such resources, as well as encourage civic engagement to help build that knowledge.”

Republicans and democrats on Elon’s campus may not always see eye to eye, but they all agree on the importance of being heard, especially for those in our generation. The best way to do so is stay educated and engage in democracy. Whether you have felt heard or silenced, casting your ballot gives you a voice.

“Voting is so important because it gives you an opportunity to engage with our democracy,” says Malaguti. “I switched my voting registration from Chapel Hill to Alamance County because Chapel Hill is very blue, and as a democrat, I think I have more influence in Alamance County, where they lean more red. It really gives you the opportunity to see how your vote plays out in these elections.”

Every college is different. Elon, for example, has experienced protests and pushback against the administration for not actively using its power for justice. At times, it may feel overwhelming to be surrounded by politics and social injustice, but it’s important to remember that at the end of the day we’re all human, and we all have a voice. 

Elon Votes! has earned the university national recognition several times this semester because of its efforts to register students and be a nonpartisan outlet for students to seek information. For those looking to continue their education in politics, or for those just wanting to know more, Elon Votes! is there for support. Even though the presidential election is over, we all must keep up the political momentum.

“Our dream, which is lofty, is to try and convince the country that it’s your patriotic duty to see the humanity in people we disagree with,” says American radio producer and StoryCorps founder Dave Isay. “The effort will continue until we no longer need the reminder.”