YOUNGPEOPLEFEELINVISIBLETOPEOPLEINPOWER
Anoverwhelming81%ofyoungpeoplesaypeopleinpositionsofpowerdon’treallycareaboutwhatyoungpeople havetosayandthreequarters(73%)saytheiropinionsdon’tmattertoelectedofficials.
Amajority(53%)feelexcludedfromtheU.S.politicalprocess.Despitehalf(52%)ofyoungpeoplemakingthe efforttotalktoadultsabouthowtheyshouldvote,onlyaquarter(27%)sayadultsintheircommunitythinkabout theirneedswhenvotingorthatlocalleadersthinkabouttheissuesimpactingthemwhenmakingdecisions(26%).
Only2in5youngpeople(38%)feellikepeopleinpoliticalpowerareinvestedintheirfuturetosomedegree,and just3in10(31%)agreethatpeopleinpoweraremakingdecisionswiththeirbestinterestsinmind.
Youngpeoplesayissuesspanningfromcostofliving/housingcrisis(60%)toimmigrationandglobalconflict (39%,35%respectively)arethemostimportantfacingthecountrytoday,yethalformoresaypoliticiansarenot givingenoughattentiontoanyofthetopproblems.
THECURRENTSTATEOFTHECOUNTRYLEAVESSOMETHINGTOBEDESIRED FORYOUNGPEOPLE
Over7in10(72%)saythecountryiscurrentlyonthewrongtrackandlessthan2in5saytheyhaveagoodoutlook onsocietycurrently(28%)orinthefuture(38%).
Lessthanathird(29%)reporthavingapositiveopinionofpeopleinpoliticalpoweratthefederallevel.
Amajority(82%)agreethattheywishthereweremoreopportunitiestovoteforpoliticianstheybelievedin .
Nearlyaquarterofyoungpeoplewhosaytheyaren’tvoting(orwouldn’t)inNovembersayit’sbecausetheydon’t thinktheirvotematters,peoplerunningdon’thavetheirbestinterestinmind,ortheydon’ttrustthepeoplerunning foroffice(23%each).
YOUNGPEOPLESHOWUPPOLITICALLYTOBETHECHANGETHEYWANTTOSEE
Amajority(80%)ofyoungpeopleagreethattheythinkpeopletheiragecanmakeadifferenceandthattheywishthereweremoreyoungpeoplein positionsofpower(79%).
Manyyoungadultsplantovoteintheupcominglocal(53%),state(57%),andpresidentialelections(71%).Evenhighernumbersofteens(14-17)say theywouldvoteinanyoftheseelectionsinNovemberiftheycould(67%,69%,83%respectively).
Twothirds(64%)ofyoungpeopleengagepoliticallyinsomekindofway,withmostutilizingsocialmediatobepoliticallyactive.
Theimpetusbehindyoungpeople’sengagementliesintheimpactithasonothersandtheircommunity(53%),whilecivicduty(55%)andthe opportunitytomakeadifference(39%)aretopmotivatorsforwantingtovote.
YoungpeoplearecallingforlawmakerstofocusonpoliticalandsocialissuesaroundtheworldandintheU.S.equally(65%agreeit’simportant).
Almost9in10(87%)believeinthebenefitsofelectedofficialsprioritizingtheiropinions,andmost(48%)saypoliticalleaderscanbestsupport makingthemfeelheardbytryingtounderstandhowyoungpeopleviewpoliticalandsocialissues.
YOUNGWOMEN18-22FEELLESSINCLUDED,BUTAREMOREENGAGEDTHAN YOUNGMEN
Onlyaquarterofyoungwomen(27%)feelincludedintheU.S.politicalprocess,comparedtoonethird(33%)ofyoungmen.
78%ofyoungwomenthinkthecountryisonthewrongtrackand70%haveanegativeoutlookforsocietyinthefuture(vs.71% and64%youngmen)
Half(52%)don’tthinkotheradultsthinkaboutpeopletheiragewhenvotingandlessthan3in10(29%)saylocalleadersthink aboutissuesthatimpactyoungpeoplewhenmakingdecisions(vs.42%,35%youngmen)
Youngwomenaresignificantlymorelikelytofindmanyissuesfacingthecountrytodayimportantcomparedtoyoungmen,and thatmaybeareasonwhytheyaremorelikelytoengagepoliticallyinavarietyofwayslikesupportingcausestheybelievein(34% vs.24%),donatingto(18%vs.13%)orvolunteeringfor(16%vs.11%)charitiesoradvocacygroups
Youngwomenarealsomoreoptimisticofthepositiveoutcomesofbeingacknowledgedbyelectedofficialsastheyare significantlymorelikelytothinkthiswouldyieldmoreyoungpeoplebeingencouragedtobepoliticallyactive(59%vs.51),feeling morerepresented(55%vs.48%),politicaldecisionsbeingmorereflectiveoftheircommunityneeds(46%vs.40%),elected officialsincludingmorepointsofviewindecisionmaking(45%vs.37%)andpoliticaldecisionsbeingmoreinclusive(44%vs. 37%). 10
RACE/ETHNICITYNUANCESTHEPOLITICALEXPERIENCEFORYOUNGPEOPLE
FewyoungpeoplefeelincludedintheU.S.politicalprocess,howevermultiracialrespondentsarelesslikelytofeelincludedthananyotherrespondents ofasinglerace/ethnicity(16%multiracialvs.25%white,28%Black,31%Hispanic,27%Asian).
Majoritiesacrossrace/ethnicitiesbelievethattheiropinionsdonotmattertoelectedofficials,withsignificantagreementfromMultiracial(80%)and white(76%)respondentscomparedto71%Asian,65%Black,and64%Hispanicrespondents.
Youngwhitepeoplearemostlikelytobelievethatpoliticalpowersarenotinvestedintheirfutures(i.e.,areinvestedverylittleornotatall),andare significantlymorelikelytobelievethiscomparedtoyoungHispanicpeople(63%whitevs.57%Hispanic,58%Black,60%AsianandMultiracial).
Mostyoungpeoplesaythemostimportantissuefacingthecountryiscostofliving/housingcrisis(60%white,54%Hispanic,64%Asian,75% Multiracial),howevergunviolenceisthetopissueforyoungBlackpeople(58%).Theorderofthetopissuesvariesacrossrace/ethnicity,however youngBlackpeoplearetheonlygrouptoreportidentity-baseddiscrimination(45%)intheirtop5,whileAsianandHispanicyoungpeoplenoteclimate change(43%,50%respectively).
Youngpeopleacrossallraces/ethnicitiesechothesentimentthatdespitefeelingoverlooked,theythinkpeopletheiragecanmakeadifference(81% white,82%Black,80%Hispanic,76%Asian,82%Multiracial),andareengagingpolitically(62%whitedoanypoliticallyfocusedactions,64%Black,67% Hispanic,61%Asian,70%Multiracial).
Regardlessoftheirracialandethnicbackgrounds,mostyoungpeoplethinkpoliticalleaderscanhelpmakethemfeelheardbestbymakinganeffortto understandyoungpeople’spointofview(49%white,46%Black,44%Hispanic,52%Asian),whileyoungmultiracialpeopleleantowardsengagingin honestdialoguewithyoungergenerations(51%).
Politicalleaderslisteningtoyoungpeoplewouldyieldmoreengagement(58%white,53%Hispanic,60%Asian)andfeelingmorerepresented(55% Black,63%Multiracial).
FeelIncludedinU.S.Political Process%Yes
Myopiniondoesn'tmattertoelected officials.%Agree
ThoseinPoliticalPowerAreInvested inTheirFutures%VeryLittle/NotAtAll
Ithinkpeoplemyagecanmakea difference.%Agree
%DoAnyPoliticallyFocusedActions
TopWayPoliticalLeadersCanMake YoungPeopleFeelHeard
TopBenefitofBeingHeardby PoliticalLeaders
Makeanefforttounderstand howyoungpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(48%)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedtobecome morepoliticallyactiveor engaged(55%)
Engageinhonestdialoguewith youngergenerations(48%)
Iwouldfeelmore represented(56%)
Makeanefforttounderstand howyoungpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(49%)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedtobecome morepoliticallyactiveor engaged(55%)
FeelIncludedinU.S.PoliticalProcess%Yes
Myopiniondoesn'tmattertoelectedofficials. %Agree
ThoseinPoliticalPowerAreInvestedinTheir Futures%VeryLittle/NotAtAll
Ithinkpeoplemyagecanmakeadifference.% Agree
%DoAnyPoliticallyFocusedActions
TopWayPoliticalLeadersCanMakeYoung PeopleFeelHeard
TopBenefitofBeingHeardbyPoliticalLeaders
Makeanefforttounderstandhow youngpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(52%B)
Morepeoplemyagewouldbe encouragedtobecomemorepolitically activeorengaged(59%B)
Makeanefforttounderstandhow youngpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(44%)
Morepeoplemyagewouldbeencouraged tobecomemorepoliticallyactiveor engaged(51%)
FeelIncludedinU.S.PoliticalProcess%Yes
Myopiniondoesn'tmattertoelectedofficials. %Agree
ThoseinPoliticalPowerAreInvestedinTheir Futures%VeryLittle/NotAtAll
Ithinkpeoplemyagecanmakeadifference.% Agree
%DoAnyPoliticallyFocusedActions
Engageinhonestdialoguewithyounger generations(49%)
TopWayPoliticalLeadersCanMakeYoung PeopleFeelHeard Iwouldfeelmorerepresented(57%)
Engageinhonestdialoguewithyounger generations(47%)
TopBenefitofBeingHeardbyPoliticalLeaders
Morepeoplemyagewouldbeencouraged tobecomemorepoliticallyactiveor engaged(57%)
FeelIncludedinU.S. PoliticalProcess%Yes
Myopiniondoesn't mattertoelected officials.%Agree
ThoseinPolitical PowerAreInvestedin TheirFutures%Very Little/NotAtAll
canmakeadifference.
%DoAnyPolitically FocusedActions
TopWayPolitical LeadersCanMake YoungPeopleFeel Heard
TopBenefitofBeing HeardbyPolitical Leaders
Makeaneffortto understandhowyoung peopleviewpoliticaland socialissues;Engagein honestdialoguewith youngergenerations; Considerhowyoung peopleareimpactedby legislation(49%each)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedto becomemorepolitically activeorengaged(58%)
Makeaneffortto understandhowyoung peopleviewpoliticaland socialissues(46%)
Makeaneffortto understandhowyoung peopleviewpoliticaland socialissues(44%)
Makeaneffortto understandhowyoung peopleviewpoliticaland socialissues(52%)
Iwouldfeelmore represented(55%)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedto becomemorepolitically activeorengaged(53%)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedto becomemorepolitically activeorengaged(60%)
Engageinhonest dialoguewithyounger generations(51%)
Iwouldfeelmore represented(63%)
FeelIncludedinU.S.Political Process%Yes
Myopiniondoesn'tmattertoelected officials.%Agree
ThoseinPoliticalPowerAreInvested inTheirFutures%VeryLittle/NotAtAll
Ithinkpeoplemyagecanmakea difference.%Agree
%DoAnyPoliticallyFocusedActions
TopWayPoliticalLeadersCanMake YoungPeopleFeelHeard
Makeroomforyoungerpeople tobeinpoliticalpower(45%)
TopBenefitofBeingHeardby PoliticalLeaders
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedtobecome morepoliticallyactiveor engaged(54%)
Makeanefforttounderstand howyoungpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(51%)
Makeanefforttounderstand howyoungpeopleviewpolitical andsocialissues(45%)
Iwouldfeelmore represented(58%)
Morepeoplemyage wouldbeencouragedtobecome morepoliticallyactiveor engaged(52%)
METHODSTATEMENT
TheresearchwasconductedonlineintheU.S.byTheHarrisPollonbehalfUNICEFUSAamong3,194teens/youngadults,including1,598ages14–17whowererecruitedand givenpermissiontoparticipatebytheirparentorlegalguardianand1,596ages18–22,with466Black,581Hispanic,andanoversampleofAsianforatotalof305.Thesurvey wasconductedApril19-May8,2024.
Dataforages14–17areweightedwherenecessarybytheparent’s/legalguardian’seducation,race/ethnicity,region,andthechild’sagebygender,schoollocation,andinternet usagetobringtheminlinewiththeiractualproportionsinthepopulation.
Dataforages18–22areweightedwherenecessarybyagebygender,race/ethnicity,region,employmentstatus,andeducationtobringtheminlinewiththeiractualproportions inthepopulation.Toensurethetotalsamplewasrepresentative,thedatawereinitiallyweightedseparatelybycohort(14–17and18–22)andthencombinedintoatotalage14–22group.
–DataforBlack,Hispanic,andAsianages14–22wereweightedasneededbyagebygender,region,education,andemploymentstatus.
Respondentsforthissurveywereselectedfromamongthosewhohaveagreedtoparticipateinoursurveys.ThesamplingprecisionofHarrisonlinepollsismeasuredbyusinga Bayesiancredibleinterval.Forthisstudy,thesampledataisaccuratetowithin+2.0percentagepointsusinga95%confidencelevel.Thiscredibleintervalwillbewideramong subsetsofthesurveyedpopulationofinterest.
–ThesampledatafortheBlacksampleisaccuratetowithin+4.8percentagepoints,theHispanicsampletowithin+4.5percentagepoints,andtheAsiansamplewithin+6.3percentage pointsusinga95%confidencelevel.
Allsamplesurveysandpolls,whetherornottheyuseprobabilitysampling,aresubjecttoothermultiplesourcesoferrorwhicharemostoftennotpossibletoquantifyor estimate,including,butnotlimitedtocoverageerror,errorassociatedwithnonresponse,errorassociatedwithquestionwordingandresponseoptions,andpost-survey weightingandadjustments.