This year, roughly 41 million members of Generation Z—Americans ages 18 to 27—will be eligible to vote, according to Tufts University. Of those, about 16 million will be eligible to vote for the first time in November’s presidential election.
The Wall Street Journal talked to the youngest voting-age members of this generation, 18- to 21-year-olds, who are voting in their first-ever presidential election.
And what an election it is: President Biden’s exit from the race to make way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place has energized support among young voters. At the same time, the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump ’s life has galvanized his base.
Members of Gen Z, born in 1997 to 2012, have come of age during a global pandemic, dramatic inflation, crushing student debt and social unrest on college campuses. Polls show it is a generation that is disillusioned and dissatisfied with politics and institutions.
“The young people of America are coming of age at a trying time,” said Eric Adydan , president and chief executive of the Close Up Foundation, a nonpartisan civic education group, which co-hosted an event last month for more than 400 first-time voters nationwide. “It is extremely important that first-time voters’ perspectives and voices are considered and shape our national discourse.”
The young voters that the Journal spoke to are college students who represent the far corners of the country, from Texas Hill Country to Philadelphia. Conversations with nine first-time voters show deep interest and energy in an unprecedented political season, with much at stake.
John Carr, 20 | Monroe, Ga.
John Carr Photo: CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA FOR WSJ
Party: Independent (leans conservative)
Leans toward Trump
I am excited to vote in this election. I’m leaning toward Trump because prior to the Covid pandemic, the job market was booming and the stock market was up. There wasn’t much doubt about how the economy was being handled. But he comes with so much other stuff. He’s not a very classy guy, he’s quite divisive. The assassination attempt definitely pushed me more toward Trump. It brought a lot of people together. I don’t like him, but if he can do the job of president correctly, I don’t care what he says.
His top issue: I don’t want to be in an economic turndown when I graduate. The most important issue is the economy. I don’t want to start my professional life on the job market every day because no one is hiring. I want to have a smooth start to my career.
His view on Harris: I could be convinced to vote for Kamala Harris if she came out with a seriously defined, good economic policy, distanced herself from the backbone of the Democratic Party and proved she can unite both aisles in Congress to pass important infrastructure and economic legislation. The biggest thing for me is being able to pass bipartisan legislation. That goes for both of them.
Mikayla Kendall, 19 | Grayson, Ga.
Mikayla Kendall with her dog, Socks. Photo: CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA FOR WSJ
Party: Democratic
Supports Harris
I support Harris because of what she stands for. I appreciate that she has devoted her life to politics. I appreciate that she’s very familiar with it. She’s had different roles. She’s been a prosecutor, she’s been a senator, she’s been a vice president. Looking at that resume, it’s glaringly obvious that she’s qualified. I am ready to go to the polls and see how this unfolds. I feel like I have optimism again.
Biden was my safe choice. I think many people felt that we were just settling. When he announced he was dropping out, I was a little fearful, then I saw Harris had donations. I saw people were excited about Harris.
Her top issue: Healthcare. I support Harris because I know that the policies she would support would work toward being more proactive with how we handle our healthcare. Roe v. Wade has been overturned and now, this election is so important. Because of this decision, we’re at a critical period of healthcare, specifically for women.
Alexandra Ahdoot, 20 | Great Neck, N.Y.
Party: Republican
Supports Trump
As a Jewish American voter, I think it’s very important for us to prioritize the candidate who is going to stand with us and have the backs of Israel and the Jewish community at a time when we truly need it the most.
Her top issue: U.S.-Israel relations and foreign aid from the U.S. to Israel. But not just foreign aid, it’s more so just taking a strong stance with Israel and continuing to build upon U.S.-Israel relations.
Her view on Harris: Harris has shown on repeated occasions that she does not have a clear stance of support for Israel and the Jewish people.
Leila Merhi, 21 | Holmdel, N.J.
Party: Independent
Undecided
I don’t think either candidate has demonstrated a commitment to Palestinian self-determination. Beyond that, I feel that both candidates haven’t demonstrated interest in support for other marginalized communities, like the working class, like Black and brown people.
Her top issue: The most pressing issue is the genocide and how it’s affecting not only Palestinians in the region but Palestinians and Arabs across the world. Our families and our communities feel like we’ve been disempowered. They have shown us that they do not care about the lives of the people in that region. (Israel has disputed that its war against Hamas constitutes genocide, a position supported by allies including the U.S. and Germany.)
Her views on Trump/Harris: So much of the opposition to Biden was surrounding his impact on the devastating loss of Palestinian life and the devastating loss of life in the region. And we haven’t really heard Harris diverge from Biden’s stance. Trump has very clearly demonstrated that he doesn’t have the best interests in mind for Americans, and the Arab diaspora in general. Frankly, I would like to see something different from Harris, I would like to see Harris diverge from the overall Democratic Party stance.
Danny Yang, 18 | Philadelphia
Danny Yang Photo: Hannah Beier for wsj
Party: Democratic
Supports Harris
I was voting against Trump when Biden was running, but now, with Kamala as the leading candidate, I’m definitely voting for Kamala instead of against Trump.
His top issues: LGBTQ rights and women’s rights are really important to me. I fear if our next president is Trump, a lot of our rights will be trampled on. I saw a clip on TikTok of Harris [in 2013] directing the LA clerk to issue gay marriage certificates to people, and that really resonated with me. It made me feel confident about the future.
Carter Long, 20 | Alexandria, Va.
Party: Republican
Supports Trump
I am a big fan of Donald Trump and his first four years as president. What I’m most happy to be hearing right now is Trump’s relative message of unity. I think especially in the last few weeks, post-assassination attempt, he has espoused and used language that’s very unifying. I think that’s very much needed by all Americans right now.
His top issue: The economy. I think on basically every metric, the Biden administration has failed the American people at providing them with the opportunity for a strong economy. When you have a strong economy, it allows people to prosper. And I think there was a much more robust economy under the Trump administration.
Tessa Phillips, 18 | Bandera, Texas
Party: Democratic
Supports Harris
I feel very motivated to vote in this election. I support Kamala Harris. It’s definitely nice that she is younger and she’s a different person because we definitely need change.
Her top issue: Our climate definitely matters most just because it affects everyone in the whole world. We were put on this planet, and we need to protect the place we live. I think the main issue with our climate right now is from Trump’s administration. He pulled back on the Paris climate agreement. I am hoping for Kamala to get back into those agreements and get back to that bigger goal of working toward a global initiative stopping climate change.
Noelle Delumpa, 20 | Carmel, Ind.
Party: Republican
Supports Trump
I think Trump is a man for the people. There’s something to be said about how strong his supporters love him. It’s something organic and that speaks volumes about the kind of leader he can be. He came close to an assassination, and he’s still out rallying for the nation.
Her top issue: As a Catholic voter, the issue of abortion is really important to me because Catholics are undoubtedly pro-life. We believe life starts at the moment of conception. I don’t believe in taking a life away because it is an inconvenience or a clump of cells. I fight fervently on that stance.
Owen Wallace, 18 | Whitefish Bay, Wis.
Owen Wallace Photo: Caleb Alvarado for WSJ
Party: Democratic
Supports Harris
I support Kamala Harris. Her background as a prosecutor makes me extremely confident in her. I was not confident that Joe Biden was going to win the election. In fact, I had already started to look at Trump’s policies and ways where I could find an upside in where Trump’s policies could benefit me because I felt so hopeless.
His top issue: As a young person, wanting to own a home, I’m concerned for the viability of that dream. They say the American dream is dying. Some say it’s already dead, but to revive it would be something a politician will be extremely celebrated for.
Write to Terell Wright at Terell.Wright@wsj.com
