American politics have grown more divisive over the past decade, and the impact of that growing division is evident among younger people. While Gen Z is one of the most progressively inclined generations, modern American politics have left many disillusioned. According to a fall 2023 Harvard study, Americans ages 18 to 29 are less likely to turn out for the 2024 election, with definite voting interest decreasing from 57% in 2020 to 49%.
This disinterest stems from multiple factors, including feeling ignored and unequipped to vote due to poor education, as well as disillusionment with the political system and the need to choose between two major parties. Axios noted that 50% of voting education comes from parents of young people. Parents who do not engage in those conversations are likely to have children who do not participate in civic duties like voting.
Additionally, IOP Director Setti Warren noted that the poll found young people’s distrust towards officials on issues like climate change, gun violence, and the Middle East was another significant factor.
President Biden’s declining favorability among young voters is a major casualty of this trend. Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza and the continuous casualties among Palestinian civilians, fewer Gen Z voters view the president positively. Other issues, including his rocky campaign to cancel student debt, have led many to wish he were more decisive on these stances.
However, political opinions aren’t the only issue keeping young people away from the polls; accessibility is another growing concern. Whether it’s not understanding how to vote or where to go, young people are having a difficult time participating in voting. Some young people have not been taught the proper steps to voting.
Gen Z has shown interest in politics, exemplified by the ongoing university protests the Gaza war. To increase their political engagement, politicians and parties need to listen. Officials within American politics need to enter the digital spaces that Gen Z inhabits and make political information available in simple terms. Additionally, the youth need to see a wider variety of politicians and be reminded that their vote matters.
