Beyond Turnout: What Gen Z’s Social Media Reactions Reveal About the 2025 New Jersey’s Gubernatorial and NYC’s Mayoral Elections

This study explores Gen Z’s social media reactions to two pivotal elections held on Nov. 4, the New Jersey gubernatorial election and the New York City mayoral election. Enthusiastic reactions from young voters suggest a resurgence of Democratic party momentum after the party’s setback in the 2024 presidential election. Gen Z’s political engagement was not passive but highly emotionally charged and expressive in how candidates framed economic and social issues. 

Highlights from the study include: 

• Positive emotions such as joy, hope, and optimism over Democratic victories for the NJ and NYC election results dominated the emotions expressed by Gen Z.
  
• Social justice issues including LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, representation, and economic concerns emerged as salient issues cared about by voters.
  
• Progressive narratives centered on issues of affordability and social justice from Zohran Mamdani’s campaign activated strong cognitive engagement including debates, policy interpretations and evaluation, as well as identity expression.
  
• Comparatively, Mikie Sherrill’s campaign messaging that emphasized a pragmatic and competency focus garnered widespread message amplification, which invited endorsement and trust but was less likely to engage Gen Z in deep debates.
  
• Candidates who articulated clear actionable solutions, structural explanations, and moral stakes elicited deeper discursive participation from Gen Z than passive endorsement such as resharing or liking content.
  
• Gen Z appears to be inherently progressive in political views, and their online behaviors signaled varied levels of cognitive engagement with political campaign messages.
  
• The decline of Gen Z’s support, particularly among male voters, for the Democratic Party observed in the 2024 presidential election may reveal their frustration with messaging instead of ideological realignment.

The study was conducted by faculty members Dr. Yi Luo, Dr. Jin-A Choi, and Dr. Bond Benton, and released from the College of Communication and Media’s Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication. This Center provides social media analytics tools and training for faculty and students for classroom learning and research projects.  

“Gen Z’s enthusiastic reactions on social media to the key election races in 2025 suggest that younger voters’ responsiveness to political candidates is strongest when candidates address social justice and economic maladies through value-driven communication with concrete policy recommendations,” said Dr. Yi Luo, Associate Professor in the College of Communication and Media.

“With Gen Z contributing to approximately 20% of the American voting population, engaging and mobilizing Gen Z is crucial for all elections moving forward,” said Dr. Jin-A Choi, Director of Data Analytics for the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and Associate Professor of Advertising. 

“The connection between social media activity and voter behavior appears to be especially pronounced among Gen Z voters.” said Dr. Bond Benton, professor in the College of Communication and Media.

The full study, which can be found here.

Media Contact: Keith Green, greenk@montclair.edu, 973-655-3701

About the College of Communication and Media: The College of Communication and Media (CCOM) offers a range of dynamic programs to a talented and diverse student population of over 2,000. Offering degrees in advertising, animation and visual effects, communication and media studies, film and television, journalism and digital media, social media and public relations, sports communication and an online, asynchronous MA devoted to strategic communication and media, the College prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. Founded in 2012 and housed in world-class, state-of-the-art facilities just 12 miles from New York City, the College is the only program in the country that offers the following opportunities for students: a radio station (WMSC), newspaper (The Montclarion), strategic communications agency (Hawk Communications), sports network (Red Hawk Sports Network) streaming platform (Hawk+), digital newsroom (News Lab) and studio, and a social media listening center (Joetta DiBella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication). The College also has a Student Success team, including dedicated Career Services and Advising professionals who prepare students for the internship and job search process. Student projects and programs have recently received national recognition from PRSSA’s Bateman Competition, an Edward R. Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, and College Television Awards (“Student Emmy” awards) from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The College is also home to the Center for Cooperative Media, which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local journalism and media. Through $7.1M in grants awarded over the last five years, the Center focuses on collaboration in journalism, media equity, media coaching and training, civic science and research. The Center is also home to the NJ Civic Information Consortium, the largest funder of media and journalism in  New Jersey, granting more than $10M over the last five years to support independent local media, journalism and training initiatives.