Julia Nickles’ "Election Exit Polling" class went beyond simple statistics; it served as an opportunity for students to collect and analyze real data on Election Day. 

This one credit elective math course combined math with hands-on experience in the field. While many students could not actively vote in the 2024 election, this course allowed students to engage in the election process in a rewarding educational opportunity. 

Exit polling is a surveying method that gathers information from voters as they leave their election polling place and is commonly used locally and nationally to understand patterns and predict election outcomes. Students worked together throughout the course to plan and carry out exit polling in the local region for the 2024 election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The course began in the classroom, where students first mastered the theoretical foundations of the polling process and the math that accompanies it. Students worked to understand sample size, sampling methods, forms of bias, margin of error, and other types of survey methods, and then developed their own to use on Election Day. 

“Some of the biggest challenges were in designing a survey that voters would be willing to answer and that produced data we could meaningfully analyze in three short days [before the end of the term],” Julia explained. “We had to make hard choices to narrow down our final survey.”

Before going to the official polls, students practiced with individuals in the community who acted as voters. The actors provided a wide range of responses, preparing the students for individuals who may or may not want to engage with them on their way out of the polls. 

In addition, students learned that a lot more goes into being an active participant in exit polling than just math. Students also navigated the logistics of best practices in survey implementation and adhering to local regulations.

 

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Julia encouraged students to take ownership of every aspect of the day, pushing them to find answers to questions like:

• Where can these polls take place?

• What equipment is needed?

• Where can they set up at the polls?

• How will they get there?

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After careful planning, students set out on November 5 to four voting locations in Middletown Township and Buckingham Township. Throughout the day, groups of three to four students at each spot collected survey data from willing participants as they left their voting places. Students dedicated themselves to a full day at the polls — prepared with snacks and smiling faces. 

The following days in class were dedicated to entering the collected data, then analyzing it for patterns and variable relationships. 

Student Beata Haar ’27 found it empowering to be a part of Election Day. “Instead of worrying about the outcome, I focused on what I could control — the data we collected.” This class enabled her to combine her passion for politics and math together, gaining a deeper appreciation for the work. “I realized how important every person involved in the election is, and could see myself getting more involved in the future.”

Julia was happy to see students so invested in the course. “While I've taught sample and survey design for many years, it was a very different experience for students to design a plan that they could actually carry out. The students were so engaged and curious throughout the entire process.”