With the 2024 Election Day quickly approaching, millions of Americans are deciding who they will vote into the White House based on the issues that matter the most to them. A significant part of this population is the 41 million Generation Z members, including 8 million newly eligible voters, who will have the chance to be represented through their vote. But what policy topics matter the most and least to Gen Z? And the most challenging question to answer: what influences which policy topics are important to Gen Z?

At the University of Virginia, I conducted a student-led survey to poll over 500 Gen Z students on which policy topics matter the most to them. The survey, which was spread through social media and posters on Grounds, asked university students to rank on a scale of one to five how much the following issues influenced their vote: the economy, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, gun laws, immigration, First Amendment rights, the environment, foreign policy, healthcare, and technology. One represented “No influence on my vote” and five represented “Very influential for my vote”. The survey found that the most influential policy topic is reproductive rights, with the environment and gun laws shortly behind.

Understanding the Most Influential Topics

Over 65% of respondents put reproductive rights at five “Very influential for my vote”, which can be attributed to its relevance in current policy. Reproductive rights have been on the forefront of many minds since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in the 2022 case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, effectively overturning the federal right to receive an abortion. Thus, this is the first election where there are two differing and actionable proposed policies on abortion. Former President Donald Trump reinstated his belief about abortion at the second presidential debate, supporting the 2022 decision made by the Supreme Court and emphasizing that “the states will determine by vote or legislation and whatever they decide must be the law of the land.” Across the aisle, current Vice President Kamala Harris told Americans during the debate that “Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” and claimed that if Trump is elected to office again, he will enact a national abortion ban. 

The second most influential topic was the environment, with 47% of respondents assigning it a five. With the looming threat of climate change and Gen Z leaders like Greta Thunberg fighting for environmental activism, the younger population is concerned for their future. To further explain this concern, one respondent to the survey wrote: “I think that all the important issues like sustainability on earth and being able to live as humans on this earth is the most important thing we need to focus on.” Neither of the presidential candidates have formally announced their plans to address environmental issues, but in the past Trump called climate change a “hoax” and Harris said “I have always believed… that the climate crisis is real.”

44% of respondents ranked gun laws as a five, making it the third most influential topic for prospective Gen Z voters. This high influence can most likely be attributed to the youth’s exposure to gun violence. As the ages of Gen Z have increased, so has the amount of gun violence in America. In fact, gun violence has been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers since 2020. More specifically, there has been a rise in school shootings with the rate of children being school shooting victims quadrupling from 1970 to 2021. Both of these issues are causing concern for the younger generation regarding their safety. When considering the topic of gun control, a respondent said: “I think it’s so important for students to be educated on issues before voting. For example, gun control isn’t about taking away people's personal guns. I feel like it’s a common misconception that this will hurt hunters, for example, or just common gun owners. It’s about regulating the sale of guns, who they go to, and which physical kind of weapons are sold in order to prioritize public safety.” The presidential candidates both have strong, but opposing, stances on gun laws, with Harris advocating for stricter gun laws and Trump saying that they don’t work in decreasing violence.

Understanding the Least Influential Topics

Gen Z also has some topics they care about the least. Those surveyed revealed that the policy issue of technology is the least important to them, with 37% of respondents putting it at one or two. Behind that are the topics of LGBTQ+ rights (20% of responses at one or two) and immigration (16% of responses at one or two).

The lack of influence that certain topics have on the Gen Z vote can most likely be attributed to this respondent’s statement: “The policy issues on which I'm less informed influence my vote less.” So, Gen Z could potentially feel as if the topics of technology, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration could be less important to them because they feel uninformed.

To some voters, the candidates’ stances on policies may not matter at all. This is revealed through one respondent's statement : “I’m less focused on policy issues and more focused on the quality/morality of each of the candidates. I don’t really feel like the policy issues affect me.”

Moving Forward

While the survey presents some trends among Gen Z voters, it’s crucial for each person to make their own decisions about what will influence their vote. It’s important for people to research a wide range of policies, even if they don’t feel like certain issues directly affect them. Also, taking time to learn about the candidates’ backgrounds and personal qualifications can influence someone’s vote. American citizens discovering their own beliefs and values and learning which candidate either agrees with or challenges their beliefs is the key to becoming an informed voter. 

Whether it be the candidate’s character or their stances on policy issues that influences your decision, remember to let your voice be heard by voting on Election Day on November 5th.