Across the country, millions of young people remain disengaged from the political process. In 2024, fewer than half of eligible voters between 18 and 29 years old voted in the presidential election, well below the national turnout rate of 64 percent.
As a trusted source of civic information, colleges and universities can play a critical role in fostering civic engagement among their students. Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to educate young Americans about voting and empower them to participate in our democracy. TurboVote—which connects users with official voting guidance, personalized election reminders, and ballot information—-is a powerful resource for these efforts.
However, just as there is no one-size-fits-all solution to voting, campuses should approach TurboVote implementation strategically based on their unique processes and needs. Universities can maximize student engagement (and meaningfully increase voter participation) by adopting an “opt-out” framework that exposes students to TurboVote by default during required administrative processes. And don’t just take our word for it—these findings are backed by research.
Taking Student Engagement to the Next Level
Last year, two researchers from Princeton University published a study examining the effectiveness of civic engagement strategies in higher education. Authors Tali Mendelberg and Claire Willeck affirmed the influential role of universities in shaping civic habits, while also illustrating how certain tactics produce better outcomes.
In the study, student participants were asked to complete one of two simulated surveys. Those assigned to the treatment group were given a survey that embedded TurboVote on the page for at least 60 seconds and asked them to sign up for an account, thereby giving them access to voter registration support and election reminders. Meanwhile, participants assigned to the placebo-control group were given a survey about recycling, controlling for a behavior unrelated to political engagement.
Mendelberg and Willeck found that assignment to the treatment group increased both political participatory attitudes and—especially—behaviors compared to the placebo group, meaning that students exposed to TurboVote on an opt-out basis were more likely to sign a petition or turn out to vote.
Key Finding: “We find that encouraging students to register to vote, to sign up for election reminders, and to share registration and vote reminder resources with friends and family in an academic year sign-in simulation increases students’ participatory attitudes and behavior.”
While colleges cannot require students to use TurboVote or other tools, institutions can do more to “nudge” young voters toward engagement. By strategically embedding TurboVote as part of the administrative process, colleges reinforce participation by default.
Read the full study here.
Implementing an “Opt-Out” TurboVote Model
What does this framework look like in practice? Universities have several options when embedding TurboVote in an online process, depending on the platforms and administrative processes already in place.
In general, institutions can add a voter registration module to academic registration procedures, either as a one-time step during matriculation or at the start of each semester. By embedding voter registration as part of campus registration—where students are invited to sign up for TurboVote as part of an existing process—colleges can frame participation as a norm. Mendelberg and Willeck reported that, after one university included a voter registration link as part of its required start-of-year administrative process, it achieved an 86% registration rate and 75% turnout rate, figures above the national average and results “achieved partially through TurboVote.”
Colleges can integrate TurboVote into additional aspects of campus life, depending on the needs of each community. For instance, universities may add an opt-out voter registration experience to club sign-up processes, employee onboarding, or other mandatory administrative functions. The Democracy Works Partnerships team can work with campus partners to identify high-impact opportunities to leverage TurboVote.
Driving Student Turnout in 2026 Elections
Although the November general election is still months away, universities can lay the groundwork now to power participation in midterm elections this year. Boosting youth turnout on Election Day starts by ensuring students are registered to vote today.
Because people who register to vote tend to follow through with casting a ballot, seamless voter registration procedures are key to unlocking robust voter turnout. Turnout among registered voters between 18 and 24 years old has exceeded 75% in every presidential election since 2004. Additionally, one analysis of the 2024 presidential election found that youth turnout was highest in states that make it easier to register to vote and cast a ballot. Even in non-presidential election years, the principle remains that accessible registration methods could make the difference for young voters deciding whether to participate.
For colleges aiming to promote civic engagement, it is critical to weave voter registration—and by extension, student turnout—into the fabric of campus life. By presenting TurboVote as an opt-out experience, universities can more strategically nudge students toward the voting booth, one election at a time.
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