By Jiann Delumen

Far Eastern University (FEU) students are increasingly committing to vote ahead of the 2026 University elections, yet uneven engagement and declining turnout continue to reflect a gap between intent and participation, based on the findings from the preliminary wave of ‘TAMStats 2026: Connecting the Pieces through Unbounded Polling’ released last April 22.

Led by the FEU Mathematics Society (MathSoc), the pre-campaign study analyzed voting intent, engagement patterns, and factors shaping students’ positions ahead of the elections.

The survey, conducted from April 3 to 15, gathered 114 respondents through stratified random sampling, with a 9.15-percent margin of error.

Results indicate a shift in how students approach the elections, with more respondents expressing readiness to vote and fewer remaining uncertain or disengaged, reflected in a 10.08-percent rise in positive agreement on voting likelihood, alongside a 9.57-percent drop in neutral responses and a slight 0.50-percent decrease in negative responses compared with the previous TAMStats wave.

This development comes alongside a continued decline in voter turnout recorded by the FEU Commission on Elections (COMELEC), with participation dropping from 44.79 percent in 2023 to 36.46 percent in 2024 and further to 24.27 percent in 2025.

High awareness, uneven engagement

Following this shift in voter intent, students generally show strong awareness of election-related developments, with most reporting that they actively seek updates, discuss candidates, and verify information across both digital and campus platforms.

Agreement levels across these activities remain consistently high, indicating that exposure to electoral information is widespread among respondents.

Even so, engagement is not uniform, as 35.14 percent of respondents report skipping election-related content, while another 25.67 percent remain neutral in their level of interaction — suggesting that attention fluctuates despite general awareness.

Simultaneously, more deliberate forms of involvement appear sustained, as nearly all respondents report reviewing official platforms and policy agendas, with 45.95 percent expressing agreement and an equal share strongly agreeing, indicating that a significant number of students move beyond surface-level awareness.

Constraints on voter turnout

Despite increasing intent and awareness, several barriers still shape whether students follow through with voting, revealing gaps that go beyond mere access to information.

Concerns about electoral integrity and lack of representation emerge as the most prominent internal factors, reflecting doubts about both the fairness of the process and the inclusiveness of leadership. 

Social group influence and uncertainty over the impact of one’s vote further contribute to hesitation.

Externally, academic workload remains the most cited constraint, followed by limited access to election-related information and technical difficulties encountered during voting periods, pointing to structural conditions that may hinder voter turnout.

These challenges remain persistent across election cycles, with 43.2 percent of respondents reporting that they have experienced difficulty participating in previous elections, reinforcing how these barriers continue to affect turnout.

Varied participation across student groups

Moreover, engagement levels vary across student groups, reflecting differences in decisiveness and uncertainty within the student body.

Although representation across year levels appears relatively balanced, first-year students comprise 27.2 percent of respondents, followed closely by second and fourth-year students at 24.6 percent each, while third-year students account for 23.7 percent.

In contrast, upper-year students demonstrate stronger indications of firm voting intent, with 28.72 percent identifying themselves as very likely to vote, pointing to a gradual consolidation of positions as students progress through the University.

Institutional distribution, however, is highly uneven, with responses heavily concentrated in the Institute of Arts and Sciences at 75.90 percent, while only small proportions come from other institutes, indicating that perspectives captured in the survey may reflect this imbalance.

Organizational affiliation further shapes exposure to election-related initiatives, as 78.1 percent of respondents are members of University-accredited organizations, while 21.9 percent are not, suggesting differences in access to election-related information.

Shared concerns shape student priorities

Beyond electoral participation, the findings also surface broader student concerns that intersect with students’ involvement in university processes.

Financial pressures — including daily expenses and academic-related costs — remain a consistent concern among respondents. 

In particular, 55.26 percent strongly agree that daily expenses significantly impact their budget, while 44.74 percent cite hidden academic costs as a key financial consideration, suggesting that material conditions may indirectly influence students’ involvement in University processes.

At the same time, a majority of respondents report feeling safe within the campus environment, with 50.88 percent agreeing and 22.81 percent strongly agreeing. 

Views become more divided, however, when it comes to representation and responsiveness, as 31.58 percent remain neutral and only 13.16 percent strongly agree that student concerns are adequately addressed.

Perceptions of communication channels with the administration are similarly mixed, indicating that while systems are in place, their effectiveness varies across different groups of students.

Notably, these concerns remain consistent regardless of organizational or community affiliation, reinforcing that issues related to financial stability and academic preparedness serve as shared priorities across the student body.

In partnership with FEU COMELEC, Tamaraw Volunteers - Manila, and FEU English Language Circle, in collaboration with TAMang Boto, another TAMStats release is expected in the first week of May.

(Photo courtesy of FEU Mathematics Society)