2024 Election: Gen Z voters will play a major role in this year's presidential race
TEMPE, Ariz. - Nearly 40 million Gen Zers will be eligible to vote in November, and experts are predicting the diverse and politically active generation will have a major impact on the election.
Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials – move aside. The king-makers in this election are the 18 to 27-year-olds – known as Gen Z.
Unlike previous generations when TV commercials had to beg you to get out and vote, these young people are lining up to register to vote.
‘We realize that we are the future’
School starts on Aug. 22 at Arizona State University, and between unpacking and picking classes, first-year students are setting their priorities for the semester.
One of those priorities, for some, is making sure they're registered to vote for the next president.
"I think we realize that we are the future and all the generations that are Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers even, they’re not going to be here forever," a student said.
Students Angelique Schappert and Jayda Young were just one of many who willingly stood in the heat on Aug. 19 to register to vote at the Arizona Students’ Association booth.
"We have a statewide goal to register 15,000 students," said Albert Plantillas of the Arizona Students’ Association.
The number sounds like a lot, but it’s a drop in a very big bucket.
According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, in this upcoming presidential election, 40.8 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote, 8.3 million are new voters, and 45% of Gen Z voters are people of color who make up a large share in key swing states, including Arizona.
When some students at ASU were asked who they're voting for, some said Vice President Kamala Harris, and others said former President Donald Trump.
Some didn't know yet.
"I don’t know who I’m going to vote for. I got to do a little more research," a student said.
That’s the hope of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who may be a bit nervous at the prospect of 8 million 18-year-olds casting a ballot.
Some students say social media keeps them informed, and that has a lot to do with why they’re so politically active. Not to mention, they’re motivated by the issues they believe directly affect their futures.
Students said issues like student debt, taxes, abortion rights, home prices and homelessness are top of mind.
A plethora of organizations, campaigns and political parties are all vying for the 40 million votes from Gen Z. In Arizona, 22% of residents are young people.
A good reminder: President Biden won Arizona's electoral votes in 2020 with a narrow margin of 11,000 votes, meaning Gen Z could definitely impact the swing in this swing state.