The 2024 presidential election and the MSU vote: How do students play a role?

In the upcoming presidential election cycle, East Lansing can expect to see a major campaign effort from the Democratic party.

A recent report from The Cook identified Michigan as a "key tipping-point" state for the 2024 presidential election. MSU political science professor Matt Grossmann said the term refers to "one of the swing states that is very much likely to potentially decide the overall election."

Grossmann said the college student vote is highly sought after for Democrats in the upcoming election, as the demographic isn't guaranteed to have a high turnout rate but usually votes blue. With a population of 51,316 students , MSU has the potential to have a large pull in whether or not Michigan turns red or blue this fall.

Director of the American Community Project Dante Chinni said Ingham County, and East Lansing in particular, is going to be an area of emphasis in the 2024 election.

Chinni said the college student demographic, which historically has leaned Democratic, is also one of the most inconsistent groups of voters when it comes to showing up at the polls.

Chinni said college students are "the group of voters that is most likely to bounce up and down depending on who's on the ballot and what's going on." Older voters, by comparison, "always tend to turn out" at the polls and vote Republican.

"(The college student vote) is hugely important for Democrats in particular," Chinni said. "And honestly, for Republicans. Republicans really don't want that vote to turn out."

He said Democratic nominee Joe Biden isn't garnering the amount of enthusiasm from the 18-29 year-old demographic needed in order to bring them out to the polls for him on election day.

"Biden just doesn't light a lot of fires under people, there aren't a lot of people who are out there who are enthusiastic Joe Biden voters," Chinni said. "Young voters in particular like to feel inspired, and Biden isn't inspiring people."

Michigan has a long history with its political battleground state status, with 15 electoral votes up for grabs. Grossmann said the swing-state trend is in part due to the composition of Michigan's districts and demographics of voters.He also said the candidates must act as if the election will come down to one state.

"It turns out, the chance that that state is Michigan is pretty high," Grossmann said.

This pattern isn't necessarily a new one, Chinni said. One of the reasons Hillary Clinton didn't secure Michigan in 2016 was because her campaign failed to have college students turn out for her at the polls.

"If Democrats had gotten the vote they expected or they hoped for out of Ingham, Washtenaw, Kalamazoo, Isabella; if they'd gotten the vote out of these places, these college towns, (Clinton) would have had it. It was that close," Chinni said.

MSU Vote is an on-campus initiative to increase the number of registered student voters. Member Erin Kramer said when it comes to college students, "a handful of votes made a difference" in recent elections.

"When we talk about students voting, it is imperative that they go out and cast their ballot, or whoever and whatever issues that they support so their voice is recognized," Kramer said.

Kramer said the issue surrounding college students voting is about more than just the current election cycle, but beginning a "lifelong responsibility and pattern of civic engagement, no matter where they are."

Election day is Nov. 5, 2024. Registration to vote can be done online, by mail or in person until 15 days prior to the election. To register within two weeks of the election, visit a local clerk office.