Published on June 21, 2024, 12:49 am

The political landscape is currently witnessing an interesting shift in voting patterns, particularly within the demographic of young voters. Contrary to previous years, when Donald Trump was frequently outvoted by non-white demographics, these young voters are now seemingly changing their support.

In 2016 and 2020 elections, Trump consistently fell short in votes amongst citizens aged between 18-29. This trend was marked by Hillary Clinton’s victory over him with a rate of 55% to his 37% amongst this age group in 2016. A similar fate befell him during the face-off against Joe Biden in the year that followed, where Biden led with an increased margin of 60% versus Trump’s reduced proportion of 36%.

However, intriguingly enough, a recent Quinnipiac poll has unveiled a surprising contrast showcasing Trump standing ahead of Biden by one percentage point among voters aged between 18-34. To get additional perspective on this remarkable shift, it’s worth noting that according to Gallup’s favorability/non-favorability ratings, prior to the October 2020 elections Biden was rated “favorable” by about 58% of those aged between 18-34; against only a paltry comparison of Trump earning just a rate of about 38%. Yet miraculously enough when the exact survey was re-conducted by Gallup last month, Biden’s favorability declined drastically to just 33%, while Trump ascended unexpectedly up to almost half at about 46%.

This change isn’t merely random though but accompanied by certain trends corresponding to voter dissatisfaction amongst these younger electorates hinting towards decaying faith in our political and economic system; as is evident from opinions derived from respondents targeted across six battleground states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan,Nevada,Pennsylvania,and Wisconsin—in an early May poll conducted jointly by New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College.

From responding youths especially composed of voters aging from 18-29, when asked to choose between the two in today’s context, more favored Trump over Biden. Subsequent questions unveiled even deeper discontent, with 91% rating the economy as fair or poor and portraying high confidence, upto almost 68%, in Trump being able to mend it over Biden standing at just 25%. Concerning the political and economic system of our nation, a whopping 62% reiterated its requirement of ‘major changes’ while surprisingly an even sharper hindsight of around 16% proposed for it to be ‘torn down entirely.’

Despite current polls reflecting these young voters as leaning towards Trump, it’s significant to note that this does not signify a surge in youth identifying themselves as Republicans. The recent poll reveals about twice the percentage of voters aging between 18-29 still identify themselves better aligned with Democrat’s viewpoints at about 27%, versus a meager comparison of only about 15% associating themselves with Republicans; however independent party preferences are seen leading overall at 44%.

The cynicism surrounding the country’s future amongst this youthful demographic pertains to their inheritance from preceding generations heading into fiscal and social bankruptcy due mostly irresponsible management by these preceding generations. An apt example illustrating such gloom circulates Social Security—the nation’s oldest and largest entitlement program—which despite known well-public anger for being bankrupt is still attracting mandatory payroll deductions from their first earnings while maintaining uncertainty over provision of full benefits upon their retirement—a glaring evidence of failure and lethargy attached which would likely result in legal implications if run privately.

Young voters believing change is imminent reflects justified indications considering continuously increasingly fed debts led by decisions of Biden administration alluding negligence towards economic realities proven via Congressional Budget Office records illustrating future debt owed by public soaring up from present rates of mere 99% GDP owing ratios in projected years like ambivalent escalations forecasted for years like 2024 up-to record levels exceeding previous plateaus to 166% GDP ratios by 2054 via unchanged revenue and spending laws.

In endeavoring to level the scales of economy, as expected, abundant wasteful spendings needs severe pruning , alongside eliminating or privatizing redundant government programs in alignment with revival gates opened up through principled, courageous leadership. Current administration’s penchant for expanding welfare states while also mortgaging their next generation’s future simply adds more strains on these lines of thoughts justifying this trend of young voters leaning towards “real news” hinting at imperative changes based on their voting evidences.