Young voters have many of the same concerns as the larger voting cohort, even if many are not registered to vote

The 2026 US midterms are approaching against a backdrop of growing political uncertainty, with young voters increasingly mobilizing around concerns about the country’s future.

Although nearly 50 million Americans aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the midterms, almost half remain either unregistered or civically disengaged, according to US Census Bureau data.

Gen Z readers across the country highlighted to the Guardian the issues shaping their views ahead of the election. Among their biggest concerns were the rising cost of living, federal immigration policies, the climate crisis, election interference and the rollback of civil rights.

For Tyler, a 24-year-old working at a community church in Richfield, Minnesota, “ICE, inflation and worries about [Donald] Trump’s military force have been … huge factor[s] in voting this year.”

“I like going to the grocery store but I don’t like seeing the price increase amid this unpopular and illegal war,” Tyler said, adding: “​​Fascism is taking hold and I want there to be some semblance of accountability, and I want to make sure that we actually have a real opposition party that we’re not seeing at the moment, aside from some candidates.”

However, even a Democratic victory would not necessarily ease concerns about election integrity, with Tyler worrying that “there will be some trickery and subversion of results or another version of January 6”.

Charlie, a 22-year-old library worker in Ohio, pointed to healthcare and affordability as the most important issues shaping their vote.

Source link