Trump Administration Blocks College Voting Data, Threatens Investigations
The Trump administration has blocked colleges from accessing federal data about student voting rates and threatened to investigate schools that use voter turnout studies. The administration also banned colleges from using a federal work-study program that employed low-income students to register voters.
The Trump administration has launched a crackdown on college voting programs across the country. Schools can no longer access data from a nonpartisan study that tracks campus voter registration and turnout rates.
Colleges have relied on this data for years to figure out how to help more students vote. The information shows which campuses have low turnout and helps schools plan voter registration drives.
The administration has also banned colleges from using Federal Work-Study funds to pay students for voter registration work. This program previously employed low-income students to help their classmates register to vote on campus.
Administration officials are threatening to investigate schools that continue using the voting data to boost student turnout. The moves target what has been a nonpartisan effort to increase youth participation in elections.
Young voters historically have lower turnout rates than older Americans. College programs have been one of the main ways to help students navigate voting rules and registration deadlines.
This affects millions of college students' ability to register and vote. Young voters often face barriers like confusing registration rules, and colleges have been key helpers in making voting easier for students.
Watch for how colleges respond and whether any schools face actual investigations for voter outreach efforts.
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