Forty-one million Generation Z members can vote in this year’s elections, and money is a priority for them.
Economic issues—including inflation, the cost of living, and jobs that pay a living wage—are the top issues young people will care about in the 2024 presidential election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University.
“Young people have the potential to make a huge impact,” said CIRCLE spokesman Alberto Medina.
Ohioans will vote in the election of a fresh president, in a hotly contested election for the U.S. Senate, on an anti-gerrymandering amendment, in three elections to the Ohio Supreme Court, and in an election for the Ohio House of Representatives.
The Ohio Senate race between Republican Bernie Moreno and Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown are tied for first place the second Senate race in the country where young people could have a large impact on the election results, according to CIRCLE Youth Election Importance Index.
“There are things that affect young people in different ways,” Medina said. “We’re really missing out on their experiences, their perspectives and their political action if we don’t do everything we can to encourage and support their involvement. … We should be striving to have a fully representative and equitable democracy, where all communities and all people have a chance to be heard and have an equal say.”
Percentage of youth, age 18-34 years ancientwho selected each issue as one of their top three priorities, according to the CIRCLE survey —
- Cost of living/inflation – 53%
- A job that provides decent pay — 28%
- Gun Violence Prevention – 26%
- Solving the problem of climate change – 26%
- Expanding access to abortion — 19%
- Fight against racism — 13%
- Border security – 13%
- Public education – 13%
- Student loan debt – 12%
- Reduction of public debt – 11%
Ella Douglas, an 18-year-old freshman at Ohio State University, said the economy is her top concern.
“I care about where our money goes,” she said.
Delaney McCullough, a 20-year-old sophomore at Ohio State University, said her top priority is reproductive rights.
“I am a strong supporter of free choice” McCullough said.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 and the 2018 Parkland, Florida school shooting are two events that have galvanized Gen Z to participate in civic life, Medina said.
CIRCLE estimates that 39% of 18-29 year-olds voted in 2016, and that figure was 50% in 2020.
“Gen Z is, at least so far, a generation that is really interested in politics and elections, and is really interested in participating and making their voices heard at the polls.” Medina said. “We’ve seen some indication in other polls that interest in voting has increased in recent months, driven by changes in how people are listed on the ballot.”
Vice President Kamala Harris recently became the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the campaign, she gained a lot of support among young people.
If the election were held today, Harris would probably win about 56% of votes are cast by young people aged 18-29, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin released Aug. 10. The poll was conducted among 1,973 likely voters Aug. 5-9.
Republican candidate former President Donald Trump AND Harris’ social media These accounts attracted a lot of attention in the run-up to the election.
“These can be helpful tools in reaching young people where they are, but they should not be the only or final way to reach young people” Medina said. “…I“It’s absolutely crucial that no candidate or organization thinks that simply putting a TikTok online is going to be a magic wand that will get all young people involved.”
Young people are less likely to be affiliated with a political party, which means that a political party trying to mobilize voters may not have young people, Medina said.
“There’s often a vicious cycle because young people have historically been less likely to vote, campaigns don’t see them as credible voters worth investing in fundraising for, and then of course they don’t engage with them.” he said.So young people don’t show up. And the vicious circle continues.”
Voting in Ohio
As of May, only 32% of 18-year-olds in Ohio were registered to vote. Civic Centera nonpartisan organization trying to augment the number of registered voters.
By comparison, according to the Civics Center, 78% of Ohioans age 45 and older are registered.
According to the Civic Center, the highest percentage of 18-year-olds registered to vote was in Warren County at 35.5%.
“Democracy works best when all voices are represented,” he said. Director of the Civic Center Laura Brill.“There are many issues that affect young people in a very particular way.”
She added that these issues include mental health, climate change, gun violence, college costs and housing affordability.
“If young people’s voices are not part of the political process, we will not be able to elect representatives and develop solutions that represent us all” Brill said.
Above 75% of registered young voters aged 18-24, According to the Civics Center, it has voted in every presidential election since 2004.
The 2023 law will make things harder for out of state college students to vote in Ohio on demandrequiring Ohio residents to show a valid Ohio driver’s license or state ID card to vote. A college or university ID card is not recognized as a photo ID card.
The deadline to register to vote in the November 5 election in Ohio is October 7.
Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X.
