The 2024 presidential election was the first election in which many members of Gen Z \u2013 people born between 1997 and 2012 \u2013 were eligible to vote. How \u2013 or if \u2013 they would vote was a matter of much speculation since it was the first time many in the group had the chance.<\/p>\n
Montclair State University Justice Studies Professor Gabriel Rubin<\/a> has been studying Gen Z for many years and over the past two years, has conducted more than 65 long-form interviews with Gen Z young people. Although the interviews are wide-ranging, among the topics discussed are politics, the state of the country, and how Gen Z feels about the political system and the recent election.<\/p>\n Here are some of Rubin\u2019s insights into Gen Z, and their views on the election and President-elect Donald Trump as he prepares to take office:<\/p>\n If asked to characterize the U.S. political system, Rubin says that Gen Z young people would say things like \u201cit\u2019s a mess,\u201d \u201cit\u2019s divided\u201d or \u201cit\u2019s chaotic.\u201d He feels they have become very cynical and disillusioned with the political system. Consequently, Gen Z as a group has the least political participation of any generation.<\/p>\n Rubin believes that this cynicism carriers over to their thoughts about the election: \u201cThey don\u2019t really like either party, don\u2019t like the way we do elections, don\u2019t like the structure of our system, don\u2019t see either party providing them with solutions to problems that they care about, don\u2019t see either party trying to reach out to them in a meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt sounds to me like more Gen Z people I spoke to seem to not want to vote at all rather than have an opinion on one or the other [candidate],\u201d says Rubin. \u201cAnd I think part of that is that they\u2019re cynical about the future.\u2026They want a reason to come out and vote for someone and they don\u2019t really have one.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubin says that within Gen Z, there was low enthusiasm for President Biden when he was running. Vice President Harris\u2019 entry into the race stirred interest \u2013 particularly among Gen Z women \u2013 but she didn\u2019t have much time to let people know who she was or what she would do.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a gap in enthusiasm and the Democratic side didn\u2019t have time to make their case or didn\u2019t make their case well, whereas they went against someone who was a known quantity who didn\u2019t have to define himself very much,\u201d Rubin says, referring to Trump.<\/p>\n Gen Z, says Rubin, \u201care fed up with the two-party system and Donald Trump\u2019s independent streak feeds into that.\u201d<\/p>\n Many Gen Z men were drawn to Trump, who went on podcasts that they listened to, or had support from social media influencers who they follow. That type of media exposure resonated with young men. \u201cDonald Trump employed an expert social media campaign,\u201d notes Rubin. \u201cMany influencers were wearing MAGA hats and there was the subliminal message that manly, smart, independent people vote for Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, overall, Rubin feels that Gen Z have mixed feelings about Trump: \u201cMany don’t like him, many do like him, and many don’t care or are in between.\u201d Alluding to one of the reasons that a sizable segment of Gen Z may have voted for Trump, Rubin adds, \u201cMany are fed up with the Democratic Party.\u201d<\/p>\n Gen Z cares a great deal about the future, says Rubin. Many want change but don\u2019t see it happening. There are issues that are important to them that they feel are not being addressed adequately. Some of the issues shared by Gen Z young people are:<\/p>\n \u201cGen Z are very concerned with inflation, crime and the banning of TikTok,\u201d Rubin says.\u00a0 \u201cDonald Trump speaks to those issues in addition to being welcoming of crypto, which many Gen Z people hold.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my interviews, I did not hear much about the immigration issue. There seemed to be some resignation about Trump being president and while last time around there was a lot of fear about his immigration policies, [this time] the fear was mixed with more joking than in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n As with immigration, Rubin also notes a shift in attitudes on LGBTQIA issues: \u201cGen Z is more split [on LGBTQIA issues] than millennials were. Some Gen Z are obviously very supportive and many identify as LGBTQIA. But as the rights group has grown, there is increasing conservatism and pushback among some in Gen Z who feel it may go too far in certain respects,\u201d Rubin says.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery culture has a counter culture and Gen Z is no exception.\u201d<\/p>\n Prospective Student \/ Parent: <\/strong>Learn more about the Department of Justice Studies<\/a> or Apply to Montclair State University<\/a>.<\/p>\n Journalist: <\/strong>Contact the Media Relations<\/a> team for assets or to schedule an interview with Professor Rubin about this topic. See more Faculty Experts<\/a> and hi-res media assets<\/a> available for download.<\/p>\nWhat does Gen Z think about politics and the election?<\/h2>\n
What does Gen Z think about President-elect Trump?<\/h2>\n
What issues are important to Gen Z?<\/h2>\n
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I\u2019m a ____, tell me more:<\/h2>\n