What’s most important to young voters
By
Byron York
April 18, 2024 5:06 pm
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WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOUNG VOTERS. For the last decade, top Democratic politicians, most notably Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, have struggled to re-create the coalition of voters who elected Barack Obama twice. Minorities, women, and young people — Obama’s strong performance among those groups made it less urgent that he win the votes of white people who have voted solidly Republican over the last several decades. (Interesting fact: The last time a Democratic presidential candidate won the white vote was Lyndon Johnson in 1964.)
Now we have some new information about one part of the Obama coalition. The Kennedy School Institute of Politics has released its biannual Harvard Youth Poll, and it shines light on the priorities of voters aged 18-29 in the 2024 presidential election. You want the short version? They’re worried about inflation, just like everybody else, but even that takes a back seat to abortion.
The Harvard poll tried a smart variation on the old “What is the most important issue?” question. It gave respondents a bunch of issues, and then, in random order, asked whether the young voter thought this issue was more important than that issue or vice versa. The pollsters came up with some fascinating results.
For example, the pollsters asked, is climate change more important to you than jobs? The answer: No. Fifty-eight percent of young voters said jobs were more important than climate change, while just 38% said the other way around. Another example: Is inflation more important than “protecting democracy”? The answer: Yes. Fifty-three percent said inflation is more important than “protecting democracy,” while 40% said the other way around. (Incidentally, the issue of “democracy” is fraught for pollsters. If you ask respondents about “protecting democracy,” you’re more likely to get a lopsided pro-Democratic response. If you ask about “election integrity,” you’re more likely to get an equal response from Democrats and Republicans. This poll asked about “protecting democracy.”)
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/daily-memo/2971303/whats-most-important-to-young-voters/
