African-American students have been supporting their preferred candidates with more enthusiasm than students of any other race, according to a poll taken in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Colorado by CBS News, UWIRE and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
African-American students in each state but Colorado reported participating in voter registration, displaying campaign signs or buttons and volunteering for a campaign at higher rates than those reported by whites, Asians and other races.
The most striking difference is that African-Americans reported displaying campaign signs and buttons far more than other races. More than 62 percent of African-American students said they displayed a campaign sign or wore a button for their preferred candidate while just 35 percent of whites and 25 percent of Asians show such support.
Increased mobilization of African-American students across the four swing states is likely because they are more enthusiastic about the idea of having an African-American president, said Erik Nisbet, an Ohio State assistant professor of communication and liaison for the study.
They have also been donating to campaigns and recruiting friends more so than other students.
The Internet serves as the greatest form of networking for African-American students in Ohio.
More than 70 percent said they visit a candidate’s Web site for campaign information and news. Thirty-seven percent reported using Facebook or MySpace to obtain and discuss election information while only 26 percent of all students in Ohio said the same.
African-Americans make up a small percentage of students in Ohio and eight to nine percent of the students surveyed in the poll. Employing the Internet and social media to network allows them to connect with each other across colleges and regions, Nisbet said.
Michelle Sullivan can be reached at [email protected].
