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MSI VOTE - North Carolina Findings

This map shows all polling sites in North Carolina for the 2014 election (as provided by the North Carolina Board of Elections), and compares them with all postsecondary institutions in North Carolina according to 2015 data from NCES IPEDS.

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When one examines the MSIs in this format, they may track the distance it is from each institution to a polling place. The table below demonstrates these differences.

Institution    County    2012 Total Vote Difference Between Presidential Candidates    2016 Total Vote Difference Between Presidential Candidates
Bennett College for Women    Guilford    41,519    51,186
Bladen Community College    Bladen    330    1,492
Chowan University    Hertford    4,814    3,811
Durham Technical Community College    Durham    75,859    92,900
Edgecombe Community College    Edgecombe    9,755    7,963
Elizabeth City State University    Pasquotank    2,754    435
Fayetteville Technical Community College    Cumberland    24,800    20,340
Fayetteville State University    Cumberland    24,800    20,340
Guilford Technical Community College    Guilford    41,519    51,186
Halifax Community College    Halifax    8,245    6,717
James Sprunt Community College    Duplin    2,407    3,934
Johnson C Smith University    Mecklenburg    100,215    139,044
Lenoir Community College    Lenoir    413    979
Livingstone College    Rowan    16,093    23,410
North Carolina A & T State University    Guilford    41,519    51,186
North Carolina Central University    Durham    75,859    92,900
*North Carolina Wesleyan College    Edgecombe & Nash    9,755 (E) & 445 (N)    7,963 (E) & 84 (N)
-Richmond Community College    Richmond    511    1,882
Roanoke-Chowan Community College    Hertford    4,814    3,811
Robeson Community College    Robeson    6,864    1,746
Saint Augustine's University    Wake    54,006    106,654
Shaw University    Wake    54,006    106,654
University of North Carolina at Pembroke    Robeson    6,864    1,746
Wilson Community College    Wilson    2,841    2,132
Winston-Salem State University    Forsyth    12,429    18,489
*North Carolina Wesleyan College sits on the border of two counties, each are listed.

By utilizing 2016 total student enrollment numbers from the NCES IPEDS database, one may estimate the impact that these institutions may have in their respective county.

As demonstrated in the table below, some institutions' total student enrollment numbers well-exceed what could be the vote difference in their respective county.

Institution    Total Vote Difference in 2012 (In County)    Total Vote Difference in 2016 (In County)    Total Number of Students Enrolled at Given MSI
Lenoir Community College    413    979    2,813
*North Carolina Wesleyan College    445    84    2,119
Richmond Community College    511    1,882    2,664
Robeson Community College    6,864    1,746    2,260
University of North Carolina at Pembroke    6,864    1,746    6,441
*North Carolina Wesleyan College sits on the border of two counties, only one is listed.

Out of the five institutions on this list, only one of them had an on-campus polling site, while the other five had a nearest polling site of more than 1 mile away.

However, as many of these students likely voted in the previous election, do recognize that these numbers are only meant to portray the relative size of the institution so that one may understand the impact these institutions can make.

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