Some Duke Students Opt Out of 2026 Vote

Despite a near-doubling of early voters aged 18 to 25 in North Carolina, some Duke students say they will not cast ballots.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement

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Some Duke students are choosing not to vote in North Carolina's 2026 elections, even as early voting among those aged 18 to 25 nearly doubled statewide from 2022 to 2026. Many students declined to speak to The Chronicle on the subject, fearing backlash from peers.

Why it matters

Voters aged 18 to 25 make up 13% of registered voters statewide, so their participation can shape outcomes in Durham and across North Carolina. The divide between surging youth early voting and individual abstention highlights how campus engagement varies even among eligible students.

Voters aged 18 to 25 account for 13% of North Carolina's registered voters but only 7.1% of early voters, even as their early turnout nearly doubled from 2022 to 2026. A 2025 Associated Press poll found 21% of 18- to 29-year-olds follow politics extremely closely, compared with 33% of all adults and 45% of voters over 65.

The players

Duke University

Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, whose students are the focus of this story on nonvoting.

The Chronicle

The Chronicle is the independent student newspaper of Duke University that reported on student voting decisions.

Associated Press

The Associated Press is a global news agency whose 2025 poll measured how closely different age groups follow politics.

The details

Canvassers stand on almost every corner of campus, and political tabling occupies Bryan Center Plaza while email blasts promote early voting. First-year Frost Maleike does not vote because he cares about politics less and believes his vote will not make a difference, while first-year Ashley Chen abstains because she feels she would be an uninformed voter in North Carolina.

2022: Baseline year for the early voter growth among 18- to 25-year-olds in North Carolina.
2025: Associated Press poll on political attentiveness conducted.
2026: Early voting among 18- to 25-year-olds in North Carolina nearly doubled.
November 3, 2026: The Chronicle article on Duke student nonvoting published.

Civic Engagement

The 2025 Associated Press poll found only 21% of 18- to 29-year-olds follow politics extremely closely, against 45% of voters over 65, a gap that the rise in youth early voting in North Carolina complicates. Duke's nonvoting students sit at the intersection of that attention gap and a sharp recent increase in young early voters.

Students who are eligible to vote in North Carolina can cast early ballots in person, and the state's early voting surge among 18- to 25-year-olds shows the practical route is already in use. Those who want their voice counted should check registration and early voting options before the election.

The takeaway

Youth turnout in North Carolina is rising fast, but individual students still weigh whether their vote matters. Engaging peers directly and explaining early voting logistics may do more to close the gap than broad appeals.