Elon students prefer Obama, more engaged than ever poll says (Elon University NC)

[struggle4progress]

by Olivia Hubert-Allen
October 28, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama is the preferred presidential candidate among Elon students by nearly two to one, according to a CBS News, UWIRE and Chronicle of Higher Education survey released Monday. Sixty-four percent of Elon students plan to vote for Obama, while 34 percent say they’ll vote for Sen. John McCain.

The survey was completed at 49 colleges in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and North Carolina between Oct. 6 and Oct. 19. Elon University returned the most number of surveys than any school with 1,149 students participating.

The results are in line with polls at North Carolina public universities, most of which attract in-state students. Elon, a private school with 60 percent out-of-state students, is voting in the same way as in-state students at public universities, challenging some traditional questions about voter demographics. Geographic home and income is having little impact on how students are voting ...

http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=1168

[dbmk]

1. One problematic aspect of voluntary surveys - which it seems to be

..is that enthusiasm might skewer the result.

But it might also translate into actually voting, so it might be same-same in that regard.

There is the risk though, that Obama is overrepresented because people who will vote for him are happy to share that with the world, while a McCain voter might not be so enthusiastic.

But thats all speculation, of course. I have little doubt that he is far ahead in that age bracket. And that the youth vote will take a larger share than usual this time around.

[struggle4progress]

2. Fair enough. The interesting thing is the claim that support among the young is independent

of geography or economic status