The Generational Divide - Voting for Gen Z
Historically, younger people participate the least out of age groups since 1964, with voting becoming more likely to vote as they get older
Source: Statista 2024
As time has progressed, one of the stable trends is that the younger generation doesn't seem to vote too much. With historical data sourced from both Statista and the Pew Research center on the ages of voter turnout, it's evident that the younger generation; possibly the most important generation to vote, tends to participate notably less than any of the other age groups. There does however seem to be an upward trend as more of Gen Z begins to hit legal voting age (counting Gen Z as 1997-2012)with a 48% voter turnout in 2020, a high for the age group since 1972.
Gen Z Voters
Podcast
County Commission in Bulloch
by Jay Galvan
- Ray Davis has been sworn in early as County Commissioner for Seat 2-A after incumbent commissioner Curt Deal resigned effective October 21 for his family's relocation. Commissioner Davis will serve the rest of Deal's term before starting their own four year term. It is important to note that Ray Davis is endorsed by the Bulloch Action Coalition.
- Incumbent (D) Ray Moseley's District 1 seat is on the ballot against (R) Ryan Brannen. Both candidates have said their biggest concerns are new developments and property taxes associated with it as reported by the Statesboro Herald. It is important to note that Ray Brannen is endorsed by the Bulloch Action Coalition
Emmie Reeves speaks on the podcast about Gen Z voters and their knowledge here at Georgia Southern, covering that many students know very little about the local elections happening in Bulloch, and how Presidential Candidates Trump and Harris use social media to their advantage in their campaigns
Transcript by Jay Galvan: Election day is coming up and early voting has already started. A notable deciding factor in this year's election will be how Gen Z votes. Generation Z voters are predicted to be way more politically active in this election versus the last with a poll from Cosmopolitan stating only 50% of Americans ages 18 to 29 voted in the 2020 election versus 82% of Gen Zers who are expected to vote in the 2024 election. Gen Z refers to the people who were born roughly between 1995 and 2006. The Gen Z category spans more than 40 million young people and that's including 8 million newly eligible voters. After speaking with many Gen Zers on our campus, I was able to conclude that the policies they showed the most concern and interest in include economic issues like jobs, housing, and inflation and also reproductive rights issues, gun violence, and climate change. While they tend to lean away from the policies that older voters seem more concerned about which include border and immigration policies and policies dealing with violent crime. Presidential candidates are well aware that Gen Z voters can flip the turnout of the election so they've been working harder than ever to reach them. Both running candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have taken to TikTok to up their popularity amongst young voters. TikTok is an extremely popular app among teens and young adults where video clips and skits can be made. Harris has 4.8 million followers on the app while Donald Trump has 11.8 million followers. Both have used these accounts throughout their campaign making lip sync videos and original skits trying to attract their young audience. They have also both recently been guests on two separate podcasts popular with Gen Z. Kamala Harris spoke on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper and Donald Trump spoke on Theo Von's podcast. Both candidates seem to be really putting in the effort to sway the vote in their favor. Recent poll done by the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics, it was found that 64% of young voters say they're supporting Harris while 32% are voting for former President Donald Trump. We interviewed students around our campus to see how their answers compare to those of other Gen Z voters across the country. This is what senior upper level education with a focus in social studies major student Randall Morgan has to say about his experience as a Gen Z voter. I am 21 years old. I am registered to vote. I did not, I have not early voted yet but I will early vote soon. I identify with the Republican Party. I will be voting for Donald Trump in the current presidential election. A policy that is really important to me is equality in women's sports. I am from rural Georgia and as far as local government races in Statesboro right now, I know there was pretty heated county commissioner elections going on but I think those happened just recently so I'm not familiar with any currently. This is what senior early childhood education major Jayden McLaughlin has to say about her experience as a voter. I'm 21 years old. I'm registered to vote. I did not early vote. I don't really know which political party I identify with. I'm not comfortable saying who I'm voting for. A policy that's really important to me is abortion. I'm from Dallas, Georgia and I do not know anything about the local government races going on in Statesboro. Most of the Gen Z voters I interviewed were very educated about the presidential election as well as the races in the House and the Senate but most students did not know anything about local government elections. Many of the students on our campus are not from the area originally. They do not focus on the local politics in Statesboro and since they live in Statesboro currently they don't pay attention to what local races are occurring where they reside either. Gen Z does continue to become more and more politically active and according to numbers the outcome can be in their hands if they all show up and show out for election day.
- Bulloch County Manager Tom Couch announced his resignation for November 29th, 2024, after 20 years of tenure in a letter to the Board of Commissioners. No new steps have been announced by county commissioners for Couch's successor at the time of writing
-(D) Len Fatica's is on the ballot against (R) Nick Newkirk for the District 2C seat, after Newkirk beat Incumbent Jappy Stringer and Candidate Challenger Brian Pfund in the primaries, while Fatica ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary. It is important to note that Brian Pfund and Nick Newkirk are both endorsed by the Bulloch Action Coalition, and that the possible election of Brannen and Newkirk can sway a lot of influence towards the Coalition's ideals
Print Story by Ariana Walker: A Conflict of Generations
Ariana talks about the generational difference Gen Z has over past young voters
With Generation Z growing as a significant and particularly politicized voting cohort, the 2024 U.S. presidential election is expected to be a battlefield of generational conflicts. A notable gender divide among Gen Z voters has been revealed by recent surveys and research, differentiating them from previous generations and possibly changing the political landscape. Gen Z voters in six crucial swing states have a gender gap of 51 points, according to a New York Times/Siena College study. Vice President Kamala Harris was strongly preferred among young women between the ages of 18 and 29, who led by 38 points. Young males in the same age bracket, meanwhile, were 13 points more likely to support former President Donald Trump. This glaring disparity, which is the widest of any generation, indicates a substantial change in the political philosophies of America's youngest voters. Beyond voting preferences, there is a gender divide in political ideology as a whole. In America, forty percent of young women identify as liberal, but just twenty-five percent of their male counterparts do the same. In contrast, only 21% of young women identify as conservative, compared to 29% of young men. Political events and social movements: Young women's involvement in politics has been greatly impacted by the #MeToo movement, Donald Trump's presidency, and the repeal of Roe v. Wade. "Voting is something I see as a responsibility. I’ve watched how policy changes impact our communities over the years, and casting a vote is one way to advocate for what I believe will make a difference,”said Barbara Coleman, a gen x voter. 5 Young women are becoming more politically active and leaning left as a result of these developments. Social Media Influence: While young males have been attracted to influencers who espouse more conservative views, young women have been at the vanguard of social media activity. Economic Concerns: Regardless of gender, Gen Z voters have serious concerns about the economy. They struggle with growing living expenses and have more debt than prior generations. Gen Z is the most diverse generation in American history, with over half of declaring oneself non-white. Many of them support greater representation in politics, reflecting this variation in their political priorities.Compared to earlier generations, the gender difference in Gen Z is glaring. Although women have generally been less likely to be Republican partisans, the gap seen in Gen Z is common. “One of the few ways I feel like I can truly have my voice heard is by voting. Voting is a means to regain some control and demand the change we desire, as it seems like our generation is always coping with the fallout from choices we didn't make,”said Zyanna Morgan a Georgia Southern student. This difference can be seen in political activity and priorities as well as political ideology .Political Participation Gen Z women will soon surpass males in practically everything.In almost every aspect of political participation, such as campaign contributions, volunteer work, and voter registration, Gen Z women are on track to surpass men. This goes against the historical tendency for men to be more involved in politics. Gen Z voters, particularly women, place a higher priority on topics like climate change, abortion rights, and promoting diversity in society than do previous generations, who may be more concerned with traditional economic and security concerns. Future elections may be significantly impacted by the gender gap among generation. Disparities in voter turnout could result from the enthusiasm gap between young men and women, which could have an impact on election results.In an effort to win over Gen Z voters, both main parties are changing their approaches. For instance, Trump is using social media influencers to connect with young male voters. Candidates may be compelled to give social justice and climate change a larger platform due to the interests of Gen Z voters.Party affiliations and political expression may change for years to come if this gender gap continues.Although there are difficulties associated with the gender gap, there are also chances for political participation and discussion. Notwithstanding these differences, Gen Z voters have similar worries about the future, especially with regard to economic prospects and the status of democracy.The challenge for educators and political leaders is to close this gap and promote productive discourse.The generational divide may be lessened by promoting inter-ideological discussion and concentrating on common issues.The political conduct of Gen Z voters will be widely observed as the 2024 election draws near. Their voting habits and turnout might have a big impact on the result, possibly determining how American politics will develop over the next few decades. Gen Z is a key player in determining the direction of American democracy because of the generation's historically wide gender divide, which further complicates an already dynamic political environment.