The Youth Vote Is Essential to Democracy
Young voters played a pivotal role in recent elections—2018, 2020 and 2022—and stand to do so again in 2024, with more than 40 million Gen Zers eligible to vote, 20 percent of whom are first-time voters.
The numbers are only part of the story.
This installment of Women & Democracy, “The Youth Vote Is Essential to Democracy,” illustrates that the future envisioned by young leaders is bright—it’s one that would codify reproductive rights, bodily autonomy and gender equity … ensure a safe, sustainable planet and freedom from violence … and invest in deep, systemic reforms to achieve racial justice and economic opportunity.
Young people have always been the standard bearers for change. But today, they shoulder a challenging charge: as the catalyst for and force-multipliers of the future of inclusive democracy.
Ms. is proud to feature the work of our own roster of young writers, especially those covering the 2024 elections (some of whom are voting for the first time!). And doubly proud to partner with two premier organizations at the fore of mobilizing and amplifying Gen Z activism: DoSomething, a hub for youth-centered service whose early vision to make volunteerism “cool” has uplifted millions on a mission to change the world; and The Anthem Awards, the social impact arm of The Webbys, which recognizes exceptional public campaigns and leaders, including those sparked and fueled by and for young people.
Women & Democracy is our collaborative series, spearheaded by Ms. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGY, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. Each quarter Ms. will publish a new microsite, together with a dedicated partner, that focuses on key issues impacting full and fair representation in our democracy.
The Z Factor
This Episode: What Do Young Voters Want?
In the opening episode of The Z Factor, host Anoushka Chander—a student at Harvard, a Ms. Studios intern and a Gen Zer herself—wants to level-set by learning a bit about Generation Z as a whole. What are they thinking about? What do they care about? She dives into some good old-fashioned polling—with help from guest Anil Cacodcar, student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, which has been conducting the leading biannual poll of young Americans in the country for over two decades.