Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hatrack

(61,017 posts)
Sun Nov 10, 2024, 08:37 AM Nov 10

Gen Z Will Save Us On Climate Breakdown, Except, Of Course, For The Fact The They Can't Be Bothered To Vote

EDIT

As early exit polling comes out, it appears that young voters—often expected to reliably support Democratic candidates—did not vote as a monolith. Although Kamala Harris still took the majority of the youth vote, her margin of support from young voters, 6 points, was much smaller than Biden’s 25 point lead in 2020, and young men—unlike in 2020—broke in favor of Trump.

According to data from AP VoteCast analyzed by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, young women aged 18-29 chose Harris over Trump by an 18-point-margin, but young men chose Trump by 14 points. For comparison, in 2020, young women chose Joe Biden by 32-point-margin and young men also preferred Biden, by 15 points. Results also varied by race, with young white voters preferring Trump, while young Black, Latino and Asian voters strongly favored Harris.

Although Harris’ campaign spurred some initial enthusiasm amongst young voters, disillusionment with the Democratic party persisted. Early exit polling found that national turnout among young voters this year was lower than in 2020, although in the key battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, turnout was somewhat stronger, close to 2020 levels. CIRCLE also found that youth voter registration trailed 2020 levels in most states.

Ed. - Emphasis added.

Alice Siu, associate director of the Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford University, said that young voters’ opinions were more diverse than may have been expected. The lab brought together a nationally representative sample of first-time voters this summer to discuss key election issues, including the environment, “I think sometimes we talk about the youth vote as one bloc, when it’s not really the case,” she said.

EDIT

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08112024/young-voter-turnout-slumped-support-split-between-parties/

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Vogon_Glory

(9,586 posts)
1. Not to worry! When the feces hits the fan, they'll
Sun Nov 10, 2024, 08:56 AM
Nov 10

blame the Boomers, Gen X, and the Millennials for what’s happening.

I’m sorry, but while I believe there are thoughtful and intelligent young American voters out there, most of their age cohorts are too stupid or clueless to come in out of the rain.

Vogon_Glory

(9,586 posts)
3. I'm not sure I'll still be around in 15 years, so I guess
Sun Nov 10, 2024, 09:12 AM
Nov 10

I’ll have to miss watching Millenial and Gen Z politicians and talking-heads trying to explain why their actions didn’t exacerbate the effects of global warming.

in2herbs

(3,160 posts)
6. In trying to look at the glass as half full, maybe their not voting will be a positive thing to
Sun Nov 10, 2024, 09:35 AM
Nov 10

stem the effects of climate change. Of course, that will only come about because the financial depression that's coming means there'll not be money for anything. But, climate change will be stemed because travel will reduce which will help clean the air (as was proven during COVID) govt money won't be available for construction and development projects which means the air will be cleaner because dirt is not being turned over, and the value of the dollar will drop dramatically which will mean people can't afford to pay to water their lawns, etc., so the water crisis will be "fixed."
Yeah, we're in for a fun ride.

NickB79

(19,651 posts)
7. They have fantasies of being big, tough men in the apocalypse
Sun Nov 10, 2024, 04:10 PM
Nov 10

Running around with their AR's, living off the land, laughing at the libs.

Source: I know guys exactly like this. The irony is that they'd be utterly fucked the moment the lights went out and the bullets started flying.

ramapo

(4,735 posts)
8. It's a rude awakening
Mon Nov 25, 2024, 10:56 PM
Nov 25

I've been gradually emerging from my post-election cocoon. I was shocked but not surprised by the result.

I thought (hoped?) that young voters and women would save us from the hellscape that now lies ahead. Instead they sealed the deal.

I'm going to be 70 next year. I am done with hoping, and waiting for voters and society to do the right, smart thing. I've gone through a lot of elections since 1968 when I first became aware. Not too many turned out as I had hoped.

I realized that it is time to say goodbye to any hope or dream that the United States would get its shit together and lead the world out of the shitstorm that awaits.

It seems that the 'adults' are far more worried about their kid going 'trans' because of 'woke' politicians than they are about what kind of world awaits their children in twenty or thirty years.

So fuck it and fuck them. I'm going back to my basic environmentalist roots. Democrats, Republicans, talking heads, whatever. It's all bullshit.

I've been taking in a lot of climate change podcasts and Youtubes. I'm not the only one lamenting the fact that we've squandered forty years and now will squander four more. It's always been a tiny step forward and then two or three back.

I just heard that the chance for a non-radical future is essentially zero. There are two choices: a radical implementation of the changes needed to address climate change (extremely unlikely) or nature will provide the radical changes.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned. We just engaged in delusional, lazy thinking.

Good luck America. Good luck world.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»Gen Z Will Save Us On Cli...