As the upcoming midterm elections crawl closer, citizens around the nation are called upon their civic duty to vote.
Every year, more and more Gen Z, people born between the years 1997 and 2012, are becoming eligible to vote.
As changes in the country are plastered for the world to see, especially online, an influx of Gen Z citizens of the United States speaking up.
The internet is filled with Gen Z loudly and clearly expressing their political opinions and values as the midterm elections approach.
For most, this sudden involvement of young adults in politics is a little shocking, as if out of nowhere.
In a Google Forms survey, 10 university students were able to describe their opinions surrounding Gen Z involvement in modern day politics. Out of the 10 respondents, eight students stated that they plan to vote in the upcoming election, while two are not.
When asked what their motivation is to vote, most circle back to their right as a U.S. citizen and that voting gives them a chance to speak out. One respondent said, “I have always wanted to vote since I was young, and now that I finally have a chance, I don’t want to waste my voice or my right … It gives us a way to speak out if the government does something we dislike.”
A lot of Gen Z members were observant of the 2016 presidential election because of the mass advertisement and campaigning surrounding that election. Additionally, though some were just outside the realm of voting, respondents also recall the mass media coverage of the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections as well.
“Gen Z was largely unable to vote in 2016, when the world (though mostly the U.S.) saw a large shift towards conservatism following the liberal Obama administration,” one respondent said. “I think a lot of Gen Z has become politically aware as we tend to be more accepting of queer, racial and disabled identity than previous generations.”
Sophomore Michael Shamis is the president of the university’s College Republicans organization. Shamis agreed that more Gen Z involvement is present.
“There’s certainly more people being involved, but my concern is how they are being involved,” Shamis said. “What I’ve noticed from Gen Z is that I feel as if there’s a sort of disconnect where we can’t have a basic conversation.”
The Chimes reached out to the president of the university’s College Democrats club, but did not receive a response.
Much like most other factors of life in modern times, a lot of campaigning strategies are done more so through social media and other popular digital platforms. While such methods are more highly observed, more often than not, it is seen as a negative strategy for campaigning.
All 10 respondents commented on how social media has given them a negative view of politics, political candidates and other midterm factors. Most commented on how social media is more so used to jab at contesting candidates than stating a plan for actions in office.
“When political campaigns started painting their opponents as vile subhuman garbage who only seek to do you harm is when my perception of politics went down,” one respondent said.
Shamis also commented on this topic: “I think that this election, from both sides, has gotten more aggressive than I would like to see,” said Shamis. “I guess the consultants see it as a ‘well, if it works!’”
There are a myriad of factors that political candidates will detail in their campaigning, either in response to their own ideas and plans or those of their opposing candidates. Such topics include AI as a tool, datacenters, accessibility and inclusion and many more.
In the topic of AI, using it as a campaigning tool or topic has gotten a generally negative response from Gen Z. “The best campaigns run on a level of relatability, but there are now more and more candidates using AI for cheap/free labor to spread disinformation about their opponents,” one respondent said.
Another respondent commented on the relevancy of AI in this current generation and how it usually turns heads in discussions. “I think AI has just become a new topic for politicians to debate about. It’s a hot topic that a lot of people have opinions about, especially in the business sphere.”.
When asked if the participants feel seen in their efforts to speak out on political matters, the answers varied.
In summary, more participants feel heard on a local level, rather than a national level.
Regardless of one’s political stance, voting is a right given to U.S. citizens. Locally or nationally, every single vote counts toward a future for yourself and others.