In the past year or so, the US political scene has been rocked by the 2020 presidential election. Recently, polls have suggested that young voters—age 18 to 29—are less enthused about the current administration than the voters of the previous 3 election cycles. While the enthusiasm of the young voter may be waning, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party need young voters if they are going to secure a second term in 2024 or beyond.
There is no denying that the election of 2020 saw a great turnout among young voters when compared to the 2016 election. This rise in turnout was due to many factors, such as an increased focus by both parties to rally young voters, combined with the immensely polarizing character of the 2020 candidates. This election cycle, however, has seen a notable difference in enthusiasm amongst this demographic. Recent polls have suggested that only 24% of young voters have a very favorable view of the Biden Administration, compared to the 33% and 45% seen among Obama and Trump respectively.
Additionally, the polls have also suggested that the Democratic party’s approval ratings with young voters have also taken a hit this year. A Gallup poll conducted in May found that only 44% of young voters had a favorable opinion of the Democratic party, a decrease from the 48% as recorded in a December 2020 Gallup poll.
So why is a once-enthusiastic demographic cooling on the current administration? Many of the young voters who supported Biden in the 2020 election were motivated by their opposition to the Trump presidency, with issues such as healthcare, immigration reform, and tax policy being factors. However, as many of these issues have begun to make their way to the national consciousness, the reports of progress in these issues has been mixed at best.
The Biden Administration is going to need to make a concerted effort to energize young voters if they want to retain suitable levels of support in the 2022 midterms and especially 2024. To this end, they have already made efforts such as passing the American Families Plan, which calls for large increases in spending on childcare, education, and tax credits. The Biden Administration is also aiming to appeal to young voters through more ambitious climate policies and pushes for immigration reforms.
It is yet to be seen if these initiatives and policies will be enough for Biden to recapture the enthusiasm of young voters that he garnered in 2020. If the Biden Administration is to successful secure a second term in 2024 or beyond, they will need to make their case to young voters now, and hope that their enthusiasm returns.
In the past year or so, the US political scene has been rocked by the 2020 presidential election. Recently, polls have suggested that young voters—age 18 to 29—are less enthused about the current administration than the voters of the previous 3 election cycles. While the enthusiasm of the young voter may be waning, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party need young voters if they are going to secure a second term in 2024 or beyond.
There is no denying that the election of 2020 saw a great turnout among young voters when compared to the 2016 election. This rise in turnout was due to many factors, such as an increased focus by both parties to rally young voters, combined with the immensely polarizing character of the 2020 candidates. This election cycle, however, has seen a notable difference in enthusiasm amongst this demographic. Recent polls have suggested that only 24% of young voters have a very favorable view of the Biden Administration, compared to the 33% and 45% seen among Obama and Trump respectively.
Additionally, the polls have also suggested that the Democratic party’s approval ratings with young voters have also taken a hit this year. A Gallup poll conducted in May found that only 44% of young voters had a favorable opinion of the Democratic party, a decrease from the 48% as recorded in a December 2020 Gallup poll.
So why is a once-enthusiastic demographic cooling on the current administration? Many of the young voters who supported Biden in the 2020 election were motivated by their opposition to the Trump presidency, with issues such as healthcare, immigration reform, and tax policy being factors. However, as many of these issues have begun to make their way to the national consciousness, the reports of progress in these issues has been mixed at best.
The Biden Administration is going to need to make a concerted effort to energize young voters if they want to retain suitable levels of support in the 2022 midterms and especially 2024. To this end, they have already made efforts such as passing the American Families Plan, which calls for large increases in spending on childcare, education, and tax credits. The Biden Administration is also aiming to appeal to young voters through more ambitious climate policies and pushes for immigration reforms.
It is yet to be seen if these initiatives and policies will be enough for Biden to recapture the enthusiasm of young voters that he garnered in 2020. If the Biden Administration is to successful secure a second term in 2024 or beyond, they will need to make their case to young voters now, and hope that their enthusiasm returns.
