While it’s hard to believe, the next presidential election is just months away. This year, over 40 million Gen Zers have the opportunity to vote for the person who will become the president of the United States. If you’re constantly inundated with news and opinions on presidential candidates from social media, peers, and other loved ones, it can be hard to know where the rest of Gen Z stands.
In 2019, Her Campus surveyed 1,169 young people in college about everything related to the 2020 election. We did the same thing this year, surveying 657 respondents in December 2023 to really understand how our peers feel about the 2024 election. Our responses from our 2019 results differed greatly from our 2023 results in terms of political affiliation, voter eligibility, which issues matter most to Gen Zers, and more.
More Gen Zers are hitting the polls in 2024.
In 2019, most respondents (95%) said they were legally eligible to vote. That number increased slightly in 2023, with nearly all of our respondents (97%) legally eligible to vote. However, in our 2023 survey, more than a third of respondents (35%) said they felt pressured to vote in the upcoming election.
This can likely be attributed to nearly half of respondents (44%) expressing their dissatisfaction with the current state of the U.S., and some respondents (33%) even saying they are very dissatisfied with the current state of our country. Because of this, it’s understandable why respondents feel pressured to vote in the upcoming election — they have the ability to potentially make a change by casting their vote.
There was a notable shift in Gen Z’s political affiliations.
The political affiliation of respondents changed significantly between 2019 and 2023. In 2019, 69% of respondents identified as Democrats, whereas in 2023, 51% said they identified as Democrats. On the other hand, 10% of respondents in 2019 identified as Republicans, and 13% identified as Republicans in 2023.
On a more interesting note, 13% of respondents in 2019 said they do not identify with any party, and 17% said the same for 2023. 12% of respondents in 2023 also identify as Independent.
The stats could signify that a portion of Gen Z is moving away from the traditional two-party system in the United States. One respondent from Michigan State University said, “I was a Democrat until I realized that the two-party system is a sham. I’m now voting for the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).” Another respondent at Bowling Green State University said, “Recent social issues in the past five years — BLM, Roe v. Wade, etc. — has turned me from someone with mostly democratic values into an Independent. As both a biracial Black woman and someone who strongly values human rights, there are many things that both Democrats and Republicans speak on that I simply cannot agree with.”
When it comes to important issues around voting, reproductive rights matter most to a majority of Gen Z.
Our respondents in 2019 and 2023 both shared similar answers when asked what issues were most important to them in the election. However, the importance of those issues varied. In 2019, the top issue was energy, environment, and climate change, whereas in 2023, the majority of respondents (66%) said reproductive rights were of the utmost importance. This drastic shift can likely be attributed to the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The second most important issue in 2019 was reproductive rights, and in 2023, 55% of respondents chose gun violence prevention. This shift may be attributed to the continuing rise of gun violence in America over the past few years. According to the Pew Research Center, more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than any other year on record. As of Dec. 7, 2023, more than 40,000 people had been killed by gun violence, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Because of these high numbers, it is likely that Gen Zers are prioritizing voting for a candidate who is adamant about making change and taking as much action as possible to prevent gun violence.
Gen Z is relying even more on social media for political news.
It’s no surprise that Gen Z relies on social media for political news. In 2019, nearly half (49%) of respondents expressed they consume most of their news via social media. This number grew by 10% in 2023, as 59% of respondents expressed that social media is their primary news source. Next to social media, digital publications were also among some of the most-used resources, but the percentage of people using these publications has dropped significantly. In 2019, 31% of respondents said they read digital publications to find political news. However, that number shrunk to only 18% in 2023.
Political news accounts, content creators, and even candidates themselves are undoubtedly more popular now on social media than they were in 2019. With that, it’s more important than ever that young people are using reputable sources online to form their opinions on politics.
The 2024 election is quickly approaching, and Gen Z’s voice and impact during this time is invaluable. Despite this generation being among the youngest bunch of voters, Gen Z is the future, and finding candidates who represent this generation is of critical importance. If you’re a Gen Zer voting in the upcoming election, make sure to stay updated on candidates’ campaigns through news outlets and trustworthy social media accounts. And, if you’re a college student, make sure to check out your campus voting resources to ensure a smooth voting experience.