Isabella MorrisIsabella Morris says it’s hard to make ends meet as a young family
With the US presidential election just weeks away, one key voting bloc – young voters – is receiving significant attention from both parties. But economic hardships, from inflation to housing, could push them to vote.
It’s Isabella Morris’ first presidential campaign, and the 21-year-old mother from Rosenberg, Texas, said she’s listening carefully to both candidates.
I recently got married and have a 2 year old child. Isabella works part-time to supplement her husband’s full-time income. She stays at home with her child while the family rents a small one-bedroom apartment.
With two incomes and no mortgage or childcare costs, the plan seemed solid, but it’s not enough.
“We’ve paid off our debts, but we can’t afford to make mistakes. We don’t have any savings. One job, even minimum wage, used to be enough to survive. Now it’s just barely. “I feel like I’m making it,” she said.
He plans to vote in November due to financial concerns about his future, but when he spoke to the BBC he had not yet decided which candidate he would support.
“As we approach the election, I can’t think of any candidate who wouldn’t address the economic crisis at this time,” she said.
Isabelle is one of 8 million young people voting in a presidential election for the first time. Voters under the age of 35, who make up about one-third of the U.S. electoral college, are a hot field for both parties, and polls show the economy is a top priority this election season.
While reproductive rights, the war in Gaza, and gun violence dominate the headlines when it comes to young voters’ policy priorities, one survey found that 18- to 26-year-olds are more likely to support economic growth, income inequality, and poverty in this country. cites it as the most important issue they face. The Gen Forward Survey was conducted by the University of Chicago and released in September.
This is in contrast to the 2020 election, when COVID-19, racism and health care were the main issues driving young voters to the polls, rather than the economy, according to the study.
“The situation has worsened.”
Economist TikToker Kyla Scanlon said Isabella’s concerns stem from a world of high rents, unaffordable housing and slowing job creation, not to mention once-in-a-generation price increases. They say it reflects the broader challenges facing young voters on the rise.
Last month, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the first time in more than four years, a move that could lead to lower borrowing costs for mortgages, credit cards and savings for millions of people. But it remains to be seen whether changes in interest rates will change the way people view the economy.
Ms Scanlon, 27, told the BBC that “the overall situation is getting worse”, adding that today’s young people – even millennials, who entered the workforce after the 2008 financial crisis – are more likely to be living than previous generations. He also pointed out that the situation is worsening.
Scanlon, a Gen Zer herself, often uses TikTok, where she has more than 180,000 followers, to educate young people about finances.
Do you allow TikTok content? This article contains content provided by TikTok. We may use cookies and other technologies, so we ask for your permission before loading anything. Please read before accepting. To view this content, select “Agree and continue”.
accept and continue
People between the ages of 22 and 24 carry more debt of all types, including credit cards, car loans and mortgages, than millennials of the same age, according to a study by credit reporting agency TransUnion. And their debt is growing faster than their income.
“There’s no beginner mode anymore. For most generations, it feels like the bottom rung of the ladder is completely gone,” Ms Scanlon said.
And fear of being left out could drive voters to the ballot box, experts say.
Abby Keesa, deputy director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), told the BBC that she expected around half of young voters to vote this election, the highest turnout in decades. He said he expected turnout to be similar to 2020, when the number of voters was high. That’s an 11% increase compared to the 2016 presidential election.
Meanwhile, according to CIRCLE, the 2018 midterm elections saw record turnout among young voters.
This is still far below the turnout rate for other age groups. According to the U.S. Census, 69% of voters ages 35 to 64 cast a ballot in 2020, and 74% of voters ages 65 and older cast a ballot. But in elections that are won on a razor’s edge, mobilizing a significant proportion of new voters may give a candidate the boost he needs to win.
Chiesa said focusing on addressing economic hardship will be key if politicians want to increase turnout among Gen Zers who feel excluded from politics.
“The turnout of young voters in the past three elections has been historic,” she says. “We need candidates who understand, engage and talk to them. That’s what has to change.”
Will dollars and cents get the vote?
The two presidential candidates, Trump and Harris, have stepped up efforts in recent weeks to sharpen their economic messages and appeal to younger voters.
Harris detailed the Biden administration’s economic efforts on student loan forgiveness, consumer pricing, housing affordability, and more. She is proposing a $25,000 subsidy for first-time homebuyers and a $6,000 tax credit for families with newborns.
Her campaign doubled the youth organization’s staff and invested heavily in digital advertising. She has received endorsements from celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, and has built momentum on social media by incorporating viral memes about the vice president. Harris also toured college campuses in key battleground states last year.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has attacked Ms. Harris and Mr. Biden’s economic record and sought to capitalize on young people’s economic dissatisfaction by emphasizing lower commodity prices under his administration. Both he and Harris have pledged to eliminate the tip tax, a move targeted at service industries that employ millions of young people, and to remove regulatory barriers around cryptocurrencies. is also being worked on.
The former president has also sought to reach younger voters through social media, podcasts and partnerships with influencers. He posts TikToks with influencers like Logan Paul and Adin Roth.
Polls show Trump gained support among younger voters during his match against the 81-year-old Biden. When Trump was still in the race, he led Trump by just a few percentage points, and GenForward polls show young people think Biden is handling the economy better. than the Biden administration has shown.
But momentum is shifting back to the much younger Harris.
She currently leads Trump by 31 points among likely voters ages 18 to 29, according to a Harvard Institute of Politics poll released in late September.
“We need a representative.”
Economic hardship is not only driving people to vote, but also fueling the desire in some young people to run for office themselves.
Gabriel Sanchez, 27, a Democratic candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives, said he is running to help ease the financial burden of his generation.
He worked as a waiter at a sports bar and said he had been forced to move multiple times due to rent increases. He worries that necessities like stable housing are becoming a privilege for many young Americans.
“Most of us can’t own a home, can’t afford health care, and can’t afford the basic things we need,” Sanchez said in a TikTok posted on his campaign account.
In May, Sanchez and three other young candidates won Georgia’s Democratic primary in what was dubbed Gen Z Night in Atlanta.
Do you allow TikTok content? This article contains content provided by TikTok. We may use cookies and other technologies, so we ask for your permission before loading anything. Please read before accepting. To view this content, select “Agree and continue”.
accept and continue
Sanchez said he believes his economic struggles resonated with voters.
“We’re working hard and we’re not seeing anything in return. This economy isn’t working well for us,” Sanchez said. “We need representation. Candidates who understand what young people are going through.”
But the Democratic Party is not the only party attracting young candidates.
Wyatt Gable, 21, a final year student at East Carolina University, won the Republican primary for the North Carolina House of Representatives. He defeated 85-year-old incumbent George Cleveland for the 10th term.
If Wyatt is elected in November, he will be the youngest person ever to serve in the state legislature.
As he prepares to vote in November, he said he expects the economy to be young people’s top priority on this year’s ballot.
“My generation is feeling it. Given how bad inflation is and interest rates are skyrocketing, I think that’s the biggest concern of young people going to the ballot box,” he said.
Learn more about US elections
North American correspondent Anthony Zurcher covers the race for the White House in his twice-weekly U.S. Elections Unspin newsletter. UK readers can sign up here. People outside the UK can sign up here.
