Some 82 percent of voting-age Gen Z respondents in our The Youth Vote survey told us they’d be voting in the presidential election next month. And most of them have feelings about the way this campaign cycle has gone so far (it has honestly all been a lot). Another group that has plenty on their mind: the 18 percent of young people who will not be voting at all—despite the two main presidential candidates’ best efforts.
Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have aggressively leaned into courting Gen Z, from establishing a very active presence on TikTok to hyping up young people in speeches to accepting endorsements from celebrities with young fan bases to appearing on podcasts to diving deep into meme culture. They know what’s at stake: a total of 41 million potential votes, enough to swing the entire thing.
Could some holdouts still be convinced to cast a ballot? Maybe. But for the group of 18 to 28 years old we spoke to for this story, their hard nos were set in stone. Many didn’t like either candidate. Others felt like they didn’t know enough to cast a vote. Quite a few expressed dismay over U.S. involvement in foreign crises. Some were fed up with the entire political system—or worried their votes wouldn’t count for much. One just wanted to avoid jury duty.
Below, a handful of members of Gen Z on why they’ll be staying away from the polls in 2024.
because they don’t think they know enough.
“I don't feel educated enough about the candidates and issues. Mixed opinions from friends and family adds to the confusion, making it harder to make a clear decision.” —Emily*, 25, New York
because they don’t like either candidate.
“It’s my first year being able to vote in a presidential election and I, in good conscience, can not support either candidate.” —Bella, 21, American citizen living abroad
because there wasn’t a Democratic Party primary.
“Kamala Harris was not elected by anyone other than the Democratic Party. The thing that bothers me the most is that she wasn’t truly chosen by the people. Trump is out of the question, and I don’t want him to be president. But I can’t bring myself to vote for Harris. I don’t agree with some of her values.” —Jai, 18, Tennessee
because they worry for the future of their party.
“I am conflicted. I believe in voting for harm reduction. On the other hand, I don’t want my vote to be used as ‘evidence’ that Kamala Harris is a popular candidate. I worry a high youth voter turnout will be taken as a sign that her background or her policies were the key factor in the race, and then the Democratic Party will lean further to the right.” —Josh*, 27, Michigan
because they feel like their vote won’t matter.
“Elections in this country are a joke. It’s never been about the popular vote, just the electoral college. Maybe in some states (the swing states), your vote matters, but in states like mine, our vote doesn’t really matter. Even if I lived in a swing state, the options we have are just grim. Both candidates are out of touch with the population.” —Madison*, 24, New Jersey
because they don’t feel like the president affects their day-to-day life.
“Seeing the popular vote go to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Trump still win was my first eye-opening experience on how little power the American people have in this country. Since then, no matter who we vote for in any election, life is still expensive, we can’t afford basic necessities, and human rights are still being continuously threatened. We can’t rely on people who were born in a completely different society than the one we live in now. We need an entirely new system with new people and new ideas that cater to current needs and force positive changes.” —Alonah, 22, Georgia
because they disagree with U.S. foreign policy
“I’ve voted in every election since I’ve been eligible to vote—I am a proponent of voting! But this year really radicalized me to my core. My white grandmother is begging me to vote for Harris, but my best friend is Palestinian. I can’t, with good conscience, vote when bombs continue dropping on the Middle East.” —Jules, 28, Illinois
because they don’t see a difference between the candidates.
“In my view, the choice is between two deeply conservative ideologues who, aside from superficial gestures and platitudes, agree on most topics with the exception of maybe abortion. The idea that someone is ‘owed’ my vote is preposterous and is antithetical to the idea of democracy itself.” —Hannah*, 26, California
because they’re trying to avoid jury duty.
“I don’t want to get added to the jury duty rolls.” —Slade, 27, Florida
*Name has been changed.
Erika W. Smith (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor specializing in astrology and sex & relationships. She was the senior astrology editor at Cosmopolitan from 2020-2024 and has also held staff positions at Refinery29 and BUST magazine. Her book Astrosex: How to Have the Best Sex According to Your Star Sign was published in 2021.
