Shaped by history, Gen Z is ready to influence the political climate

School shootings, unprecedented partisan divide, a changing economy with record high inflation, a global pandemic, and presidential candidates on TikTok.  These events have shaped young people’s perspectives as they witnessed history in the making, a history that may determine how they vote in November. 

Generation Z, those born from 1997-2012, make up a huge voting block of more than 41 million.  They have just come of age, and together have the potential to change America’s political climate if they turn out to vote.  Issues such as gun violence, cost of living, and the environment are important to young voters.

The most diverse political demographic this election, Gen Z has more access to information than their counterparts did at their age. This generation gets most of its news from social media, and candidates have taken notice. 

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X are a hub of opinions, information, and politics.  Kamala Harris’s “HQ” TikTok account, and her marketing team, is appealing to Gen Z voters through making videos that convey their policies while following memes and trends. 

“The average person in our generation has TikTok, or has watched a TikTok, or has been exposed to TikTok in some way,” GHS senior and registered voter Lexi Thomas said. “Using a platform that so many people use to promote their campaign while following the trends and giving good information about what they stand for is the perfect marketing situation.”

Donald Trump currently has 11.8 million followers on TikTok, and even owns his own social media company, Truth Social. 

With its millions of Gen Z users, social media could have a real influence. 

GHS Comparative Government and Politics teacher Alyssa D’Antonio is fascinated by this generation’s way of demonstrating politically, with a “slick” Kamala Harris campaign on social media versus “boots on the ground, theatrical Trump rallies.”  

But Trump rallies aren’t the only place for Republican support. He is also using influencers to appeal to young voters. He appeared on a livestream with Adin Ross, an internet personality and online streamer. Ross, appeals to a specific demographic of conservative young men which helps Trump reach a Gen Z audience.  

“I don’t read the paper, or watch the news as much,” said GHS Senior Dylan Smith, “But when I see news stuff, it probably would be on TikTok.” 

But is this news correct? Misinformation has been prominent on TikTok. 1 in 5 commonly searched videos were deemed misinformation in 2022. 

“I can’t really decipher what’s true and what isn’t,”  said GHS senior Halia Taylor, a Gen Z voter and user of social media.  “The media has been distorted heavily– so a lot of the public doesn’t really know what’s going on.”   

So, why does this matter? Since it’s become more difficult to sort fact from fiction, it’s possible beliefs could be influenced by false news. 

“Kids are being made aware of things, they just don’t necessarily know what they’re being made aware of,” said history teacher Rich Francis. “Going into a little more depth is important if young people want accurate information on these issues.” 

Cost of living

As for the topics they care about, Gen Z is worried about the economy.  A multi-year study by Gallup and the Walton Family foundation that tracks Gen Z opinions over time reported that almost two thirds of Gen Zers ages 12-26 said financial resources were a barrier to their future goals. 

“Especially with inflation and everything else going on, all the prices are going up,” said Smith. “From getting a sandwich to buying a home, everything has gone up like crazy.”

According to Newsweek, income and inflation rates are a large part of economic stress for Generation Z, with “around 40% of Gen Z adults falling into the ‘asset limited, income constrained, employed’ population,” which is defined as being everyone who earns above the federally defined poverty level, but not enough to afford the basics in relative to cost of living.

Gun Violence

Another important issue for Gen Z is gun violence. And this makes sense– for Americans under 19, it’s the leading cause of death. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, between 1997 – 2022 there were 1453 school shootings.  

Thomas, who describes herself as politically liberal, recalls having to lockdown in the cafeteria after a swatting hoax at GHS two years ago.  “That was scary,” she said. She also added that hearing a story from a friend who experienced a school shooting at the University of Michigan gave her a new perspective.

“I think there should be stricter criteria of who can purchase and own a gun, and storage as well,” said Thomas. “Personally, I feel as if there is no reason for an everyday person to have the ability to buy an assault weapon.” 

This topic is an example of one thing that makes Gen Z unique: despite the differing beliefs of young liberals and conservatives, both groups want the government to take some action on gun related issues. 

“In Generation Z we have more mental health problems than ever before in history,” said GHS sophomore Ben Sechrist. 

He wants restricted access for people with mental health issues, or people with a history of violence. He also advocated for more mental health care for Generation Z.

“Those are the kind of common sense gun laws we need, without restricting the accessibility of guns for other people who don’t have the same problems,” he said.   

The Environment

A recent Gallup poll shows that water issues and climate change are top issues for Gen Z voters.  73% of Gen Z voters polled believe they’ll have to move due to climate change. This is due to water issues, such as pollution, flooding and drought, and 88% of those surveyed say politicians are responsible for addressing these issues. 

GHS senior Sawyer Towne said the environment is a key issue for him.

“It’s all about the place in which we live, and the generations to come in the future,” Towne said.  “Making efforts to preserve the natural environment with our developing world, creating that type of balance is immensely valuable.”

And as younger environmental advocates become part of the electorate, this could have a large impact.  

Fatalism

Social media and the vast interconnectedness of Gen Z’s  ideas could also be contributing to a dismal outlook on the future.

 “Footage of shootings hit TikTok before they hit the news,” Megan Dehil, a Gen Z writer for Ohio University, wrote. 

Having these threats to their safety on display could be contributing to not only a sense of fatalism but also feelings of overwhelm for Gen Z, due to feeling responsible that they’re the generation to solve issues like this. 

 “I think it’s a lot to put on one generation,” said Thomas, “but the fact that it has been put on us has caused us to do something about it.”

Gender divide 

Gen Z’s division on party lines this election may also be attributed to gender.

In a PBS interview with Melissa Deckman, author of The Politics of Gen Z, young women will play a crucial role in November, with a higher voter turnout than ever before.  

In the interview, Deckman said that women specifically care passionately about issues that “have really galvanized them in ways to march in the streets, to form their own organizations and to really lobby elected officials on those issues too.”

According to the New York Times, young men under 30 tend to lean towards Trump as a candidate, specifically including men of color and those without college degrees. 

While Trump is trying to secure Gen Z male voters, Kamala Harris’s advocacy for reproductive freedoms, and access to reproductive health care has been crucial in getting female support.  

These concerns will be affecting how young people vote in November.  

“Whichever candidate can deal with those issues in an effective manner and actually follows through with it would definitely influence my decision,” said Taylor. 

Ultimately, if Gen Z turns out to vote, their voices have the potential to impact the political climate of our country for the next four years and beyond.