Capstone Project: Campus Voting Research Partnership Wins Silver Distinction

Duke University x MTV Entertainment Studios “Voting Early is Easier” Research

RECOGNITION

Silver

  • Education, Art & Culture
  • Research Projects or Publications
  • Awareness & Media Categories (For Profit)

ABOUT THE CATEGORY

Research Projects or Publications

A project and/or publications that distributes informed research to educate, raise interest, knowledge, and or change perception or behavior around an Education, Art, & Culture cause. Projects may include; trend reports, surveys, and data collection.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Summary
In 2022, MTV Entertainment Studios partnered with a team of students who were part of the Duke University Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science program to study voting access on college campuses. This first-of-its-kind research examined polling place distribution in 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2020 to better understand college students’ proximity to voting booths and how that access has changed over time. The study deepened our understanding of the barriers to voter engagement for young people.

Goals & Objectives
The goal was to develop a comprehensive data analysis that we could give to the field as a whole so that other organizations looking to improve access for college students can better understand the landscape and core areas of need.

Results & Impact
The findings from this study indicate that the majority of colleges do not have easily accessible on-campus polling places and, as voting behaviors continue to change and demand for early voting options has risen dramatically in recent years.

THE TEAM

Chris McCarthy

  • President & CEO
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Brianna Cayo Cotter

  • SVP, Social Impact
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Erika Soto Lamb

  • VP, Social Impact
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Vaughan Bagley

  • Director, Social Impact
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Tulsi Patel

  • Coordinator, Social Impact
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Laurel Weir

  • EVP, Insights
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Julie Perlish

  • SVP, Insights
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Lauren Christensen

  • VP, Insights
  • MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

Jasmine Young

  • Student
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters

Dapo Adegbile

  • Student
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters

Pranav Manjunath

  • Student
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters

Nick Eubank

  • Advisor
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters

Adriane Fresh

  • Advisor
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters

Greg Hershlag

  • Program Director
  • Duke Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters