HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — Generation Z may decide the outcome of the presidential race in this crucial electoral battleground, but many young voters are apprehensive about aligning completely with former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris.
Some don’t know if they will vote at all.
“I don’t feel like I have a voice. I don’t feel like my opinion matters or anything matters,” said Fahad Noor, who is 29. Mr. Noor used to work at General Motors, one of the largest employers in Michigan, but he got laid off in 2020. He blamed the Biden-Harris administration for an economic downturn, especially within Michigan’s auto industry. “There’s layoffs everywhere — it’s hard to get a decent job or anything here.”
Nearly 1.3 million Gen Zers are registered to vote in Michigan, according to the Secretary of State. Michigan leads the country in youth voter turnout, and nationally, the age group leans to the political left, with two-thirds aligning with the Democratic Party. In 2020, Biden won the state by a narrow margin — just over 150,000 votes. And that year, nearly 16% of the total votes were cast by youth.
Yet, with a new Democratic nominee, escalating conflicts in the Middle East and mounting financial pressures, it’s difficult to gauge the mood of Gen Z voters, those aged under 30. With just over a month until the election, this group’s indecision could be what decides Michigan, and with it, the next president of the United States.
Gen Z has unique interests as a voter bloc, facing an uncertain housing and job market and increased costs of living across the country. According to a Washington Post analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Gen Z is paying 31% more for housing than millennials were a decade ago, and earnings haven’t risen proportionately.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell, who represents Michigan’s 6th District, said the youth vote is critical for Ms. Harris to win in this “blue wall” state, which would secure a path to the White House.
“We’ve got to turn them out,” Ms. Dingell told reporters gathered at an airport near Ypsilanti to observe a meet-and-greet between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and University of Michigan students ahead of a big college football game. “[Students] want to make sure they have a job when they graduate. They’re worried about housing. They’re worried about the environment.”
In interviews over five days in late September, students at Wayne State University, Macomb Community College, Hillsdale College and University of Michigan echoed Ms. Dingell’s concerns. Many said they worry about the economy and what their future will look like after graduation. Others said neither nominee is doing enough to mitigate climate change and restore global peace, especially regarding Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign on Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
Theo Eggebrecht is a 19-year-old environmental science student at Wayne State University. While he supports Ms. Harris, he said he doesn’t agree with all of her policies, and he understands why young voters may be apprehensive to support her.
“Either people are very passionate about this election and want to vote and want to be aware and want to learn more, or there are people who couldn’t care less … which can be kind of terrifying,” he said while volunteering with the Michigan Democratic Party on campus.
A recent poll by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics showed Ms. Harris with a 31-point lead over Mr. Trump among Gen Z voters. The survey of nearly 2,000 voters found young Democrats are more likely to vote than young Republicans, with Ms. Harris outperforming Mr. Trump on key issues of climate change, abortion and gun violence prevention.
The Walz visit was what the campaign described as a voter registration engagement with students. And both campaigns are attempting to woo college students. Mr. Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, have held several recent campaign events in Michigan, including two at college campuses.
Eric Veal Jr., a 20-year-old working as an intern for the Harris campaign, was among the students welcoming Mr. Walz at the airport.
“Voters are excited to see the fresh energy on the campaign trail,” Mr. Veal said. “We have a lot at stake this year. Students are backing Kamala’s message of ‘We’re not going back.’”
Still, Ms. Harris doesn’t have a lock on young voters.
Jackson Casey, a sophomore at Hillsdale College who is originally from New York, said his peers at the small, conservative school primarily support Mr. Trump.
“I think it’s unique in that respect,” said Mr. Casey, who was reporting on a recent Trump town hall in Warren for the school paper. “They might not agree with all his policies, like some might be more [concerned with] economic issues, others might be more social conservatives. But in general, I think they support him.”
Young Trump supporters at the town hall also voiced fears about Ms. Harris repealing the Second Amendment and banning guns, which she has never said on the campaign trail. Speaking with reporters, several young men said Mr. Trump’s commitment to gun rights was a core reason for their support.
Other young working-class voters in Michigan overwhelmingly said they back Mr. Trump, which aligns with national polling trends. According to a Sept. 19 Times/Siena nationwide poll of likely voters, Mr. Trump led Ms. Harris by 18 points among respondents who don’t hold a bachelor’s degree. Similarly, half of Michigan registered voters in their Sept. 28 poll trusted Mr. Trump to do a better job of helping the working class, compared with 45% who trusted Ms. Harris more.
Christina Paciocco, a 25-year-old mother of two, waited hours to see Mr. Trump speak in Warren. She said she is unemployed and struggles to support her children, aged 4 and 5, working odd jobs in the service industry. She said her children’s health benefits were just cut, while prices and energy bills were up.
“I’m out working all the time,” said Ms. Paciocco, who has never voted in a presidential election. “There needs to be a change.”
• Jason Goode and Matthew Royer contributed to this report, which was provided courtesy of the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.
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