Division and polarization have been consistent themes of life as an American for the past decade, and with much of Gen Z voting for the first time in 2024, it’s certain that those divisions will carry on into the future. Even for those who haven’t reached voting age, the effects of deep political and social division between young people have been tangible.
Division amongst young voters isn’t a new phenomenon, but the current rate of separation between male and female voters between ages of 18-25 is unprecedented and indicative of a more widespread issue. This divergence in voting tendencies between genders will likely have vast implications on democracy and society in the United States, unless it can be rectified.
This division between young men and women has been well documented in recent years and data suggests that this divide may increase with time. The American Survey Center conducted polls in 2024 measuring the popularity of the two main candidates for the presidential election: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to the data, 45% of men and 39% of women plan to vote for Trump, while 43% of men and 54% of women intend to support Kamala Harris. These statistics don’t jump off the page as startling or shocking, as data from the Pew Research Center displays that 42% of women want to see a female president in their lifetime, while 73% of men consider it to be unimportant.
The rift between young voters becomes more apparent when considering data between voters aged 18-27. Women in this age range are planning to vote for Harris at a 12 point higher rate than men, (57% and 45%). In the highly contested 2020 election, Trump held a margin of support among men of 5 points. Now he leads that demographic by 10. This trend suggests that our nation’s youth is more divided than any other demographic.
Tribalism has become a recurring theme in US politics in the past few decades. In 2024, Daniel Cox of the American Survey Center found that 56% of divorced men support Trump as opposed to 42% of divorced women. Another study found that 62% of young female Democrats refused to date a person from the Republican Party. This new phenomenon can be attributed in part to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, as her feminist and progressive values juxtapose strongly with Donald Trump’s MAGA conservative ideals.
Additionally, the impact of social media has had a massive impact on young voters’ perspective on politics. Online influencers on both sides of the political spectrum have pledged loyalty to both candidates and attempt to use their massive platform to preach to their audience. This development is especially concerning, as these influencers are more often than not ill-informed and non-credible sources. We live in a world where registered voters rely on Taylor Swift or the NELK boys for voting advice, rather than basing their decisions on logic and reason.