Gen Z voters are choosing issues over parties heading into the midterms. Roughly 50M Gen Z are eligible to vote, and they’re identifying as independents at a significantly higher rate than previous gens did at the same age, with the high cost of living a major unifier across political leanings. (Something YPulse has reported on before.) Both parties are courting them through recruitment drives, young hires, and content creators, but research suggests influencers carry limited weight: under 1% of young people named one as a top motivator to vote in 2024, and influencer posts ranked last among sources they use to learn about elections in a 2026 pre-election poll of over 5K 18-29-year-olds. What does move them is acting on issues they actually care about (46% said it was their top motivator in 2024), along with local, in-person organizing they trust more than national parties. To them, “independent” doesn’t entirely mean “moderate,” though: Gen Z women are moving further left. (The 19th)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Gen Z’s Outlook on the 2026 Midterm Elections
