Every election, as politicians stump for votes, the role that young people will play becomes relevant. Young millennials and Gen Z voters could have a decisive impact in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, but whether or not they will vote is a real question.
Zócalo Public Square, a nonprofit that combines public programs and journalism to connect and learn from each other, hosted an event in downtown L.A. Tuesday called “Will the Real Young Voters Please Stand Up?”
The panel of young, civically engaged people discussed the immediate impact young voters could have in the future of American politics.
Moderated by Christian Paz, senior politics reporter at Vox, the event featured former Iowa State Representative Joe Mitchell, progressive political digital media specialist Annie Wu Henry and youth civic engagement advocate Ava Mateo.
In the upcoming presidential election, 40.8 million members of Gen Z (ages 18-27) will be eligible to vote, according to new estimates from Tufts’ CIRCLE.
The discussion began by examining the voting landscape ahead of election day with a key focus on the importance of voting, misinformation across social media platforms, and the role of celebrity influencers.
One of the key issues that came about was voter registration.
“You’ve got to start thinking, ‘okay, is this person registered to vote?’ It’s an issue and I think we want to increase participation in the voting system,” said Mitchell. “But often, we talk to people who have never voted before and don’t plan to vote. And even if you haven’t voted before, you still normally have an opinion on something, right?”
Mateo responded with a different perspective about the obstacles young people face when it comes to voting.
She said there are two main reasons why young people don’t vote.
“I think it’s disenfranchisement and disenchantment. It’s not as simplistic as we really make it seem,” she said.
Annie Wu Henry echoed the sentiment but went a step further, saying that there is also frustration around politicians and engagement. “Young people feel really frustrated or disillusioned by our political systems but also care a lot about the world’s future. They want politicians to hear them, to invite them in, and not just hear them out, but actually to listen,” said Henry.
“I think that’s why young people are less likely to have some loyalty to a political party. I think people are just ready for a new era of politics.”
Panelists also discussed how the upcoming election is heavily influenced by podcasters and celebrity endorsements, particularly affecting Gen Z voters. However, they also raised concerns about the risks of young voters being misled by algorithms that promote misinformation on social media platforms and podcasts.
“With these [social media] platforms, algorithms can present a warped perception of what people at large may be thinking,” said Annie Wu Henry. These algorithms are designed to continue to feed what you choose to engage in. Young people may be digital natives but that doesn’t mean they are media literate.
The panelists concluded the event by emphasizing the significance of each individual vote and the importance of investing in young people early on, making voting registration a key discussion point moving forward.
Editor’s note: Boyle Heights Beat served as a media partner at the event.
