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Midterm elections historically generate lower voter turnout than presidential elections, but Gen Z voters were projected to show up and show out at the polls this cycle.
Young adults 18 to 25 had an impact like never before in the 2022 midterms, thanks to an increase in the generation’s newest members becoming eligible to vote.
“Young people are under attack from the far-right on so many different fronts — from abortion restrictions to book bans to gun violence –– and realize that this election could determine what rights we have going forward,” said Jack Lobel, deputy communications director for Voters of Tomorrow — a organization led by Gen Z voters, for Gen Z voters.
According to Pew Research, 1 in 10 eligible voters were Gen Z in 2020, meaning it was voters under the age of 30 who turned out in record numbers to help President Joe Biden historically defeat Donald Trump.
Since then, more than eight million Gen Z have aged into eligibility to vote. Actual 2022 exit polls from Edison Research as well as the AP VoteCast poll indicate that around 1 in 8 voters in the 2022 midterm elections this year were between ages 18 and 30, which technically includes young millennials. Born in 1996, the oldest members of Gen Z are currently 25.
Even percentage-wise, that’s an encouraging number — around 12% to 13% of all ballots cast were cast by young voters.
With some saying Gen Z is the most media-literate generation, influencers and content creators knew they had the power to use their platforms for good throughout the election process. Young people consumed their content, propelling them to exercise their right to vote.
Candidates like Pennsylvania governor-elect Josh Shapiro and senator-elect John Fetterman reached out to young voters. They were successful and the credit must go to Gen Z.
Although the youngest age group to be eligible to vote and be elected to Congress, Gen Z is making their mark in major elections — and that is a huge flex.