For students at Ohio Wesleyan University, the top five issues affecting the 2020 presidential election are, in order of importance, climate change, student loan debt, immigration, abortion, and LGBTQ rights.
More than 300 Ohio Wesleyan students took the survey last month in classes representing all grade levels and multiple academic disciplines. It was administered during 11 AM classes on a designated Friday to capture a random sample of student interests and opinions.
Other important issues for students, also in order, include reforming the healthcare system, addressing police violence, providing treatment and support for opioid addition, conducting HIV and AIDS research, containing Russia, creating jobs, reducing the federal debt, fighting ISIS, and addressing the trade war with China.
The survey is part of Ohio Wesleyan’s 2020 Democratic Mock Presidential Convention, held on February 21-22. The simulated convention, an OWU tradition dating back to 1884, always focuses on the political party not currently occupying the White House.
As for their choice of presidential candidates, Ohio Wesleyan students said if the vote were tomorrow, their top Democratic vote-getters would be former Vice President Joe Biden (27%), U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont (25%), and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts (15%).
But the students also said if the general election were tomorrow, they believe Republican President Donald Trump would be returned to office (49%), with Sanders as his closest Democratic rival (20%). A total of 75% of the respondents said they plan to vote in November, though currently only 72% are registered.
Of the survey participants, almost 15% identified as strong Democrats; 21% as Democrats, 18% as Democrat-leaning Independents; 23% as Independents; 8% as Republican-leaning Independents; almost 11% as Republicans; and 4% as strong Republicans.
During Ohio Wesleyan’s two-day Mock Convention, students gathered to debate and adopt a party platform and to nominate and approve presidential and vice presidential candidates. Students drafted the party platform following a series of hearings in the fall. Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s Mock Convention and read the party platform at www.owu.edu/mockconvention.
