In 2022, younger voters made up a smaller share of the electorate than they did in 2018. In 2022, 36% of voters were under 50, compared with 40% of voters in 2018. Decreased turnout among these more reliably Democratic voters contributed to the GOP’s better performance in November.
Older voters turned out more reliably in both elections – and continued to be largely loyal to Republican candidates. For example, among adults ages 69 and older in 2022
Pew Research - 2020 election
If leftists understood how much power they have at local elections they would absolutely participate. Same goes for federal. But time and time again, they don’t bother to be active politically because of attitudes like yours.
Those terms are more or less interchangeable in UD politics at the moment as I understand it. I find the usage of the term “leftist” about as vaguely useless as the term “woke”.
Ok. Then we are talking about the same group. What I’m trying to communicate is that young people, who overwhelmingly identify as liberal/left/progressive are participating less in elections. The other thread I’m responding to has all the Pew research numbers but if you’d like I can pull them here as well. If a large percentage of your electorate is absent from voting, don’t expect policy to change any time soon.
What I am trying to emphasize is that the old saw about people getting more conservative as they age is not true anymore. Gen X and millennials have each been more liberal than the next even as they age. I’m 42 and a hell of a lot further left than I was at 18.
I never said people don’t vote BECAUSE they are leftist, did I? Nothing you said disagrees with what I said: left leaning people (and by inclusion: young people) tend to participate less in elections. The current political leadership represents the people that voted for them: predominantly boomers. So in that regard, politicians are doing exactly what they were elected to do. What’s so difficult to understand?
You gave a source that says young people are voting less, not leftists, and your conclusion was that because young people tend to be more leftist, they aren’t voting.
Oh, I see. We’re being pedantic with words. I guess I should have been precise in my language for people so people like you can have cause to split hairs. What I meant to say is “the majority of leftists don’t vote” and this is well researched and supported by the numbers. Does that make you feel better? It doesn’t matter if conservative youth don’t vote, since the majority of the older population skews moderate or conservative. Both conservative and left youth can stay home, but that’s how we get where we are.
Edit: also, it doesn’t matter if conservative youth don’t vote. Youth vote skews left. If younger people OVERALL showed up to vote we would have more progressive candidates. I think we’re really struggling with stats today.
The numbers are clear. I’m not sure where the break down is happening.
Young people constitute the predominant portion of the left base, especially if you account the far left. In other words, lefties and far lefties make an overlapping Venn diagram with young people. They are the same population.
Young people do not vote.
Conclusion:
3. The current electorate is composed of old people that tend to skew conservative. Those people show up to vote -every time.
Where is the contradiction?
More info from Pew 2022 election polls:
Age and the 2022 election
Age continues to be strongly associated with voting preferences in U.S. elections. Nearly seven-in-ten voters under 30 (68%) supported Democratic candidates in 2022 – much higher than the shares of voters ages 30 to 49 (52%), 50 to 64 (44%) and 65 and older (42%) who did so. Compared with 2018, GOP candidates performed better among voters who turned out across age groups.
Also:
Older voters turned out more reliably in both elections – and continued to be largely loyal to Republican candidates.
No they don’t.
Pew Research - 2020 election
If leftists understood how much power they have at local elections they would absolutely participate. Same goes for federal. But time and time again, they don’t bother to be active politically because of attitudes like yours.
Young and leftist aren’t synonymous.
The numbers tell us that for the majority, that’s the case. Do you have numbers that show otherwise?
Gen X and millennials are increasingly liberal.
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2018/03/01/the-generation-gap-in-american-politics/
When you say “liberal”, do you intend as something different than “left”? I just want to make sure I understand your labels. Thanks.
Those terms are more or less interchangeable in UD politics at the moment as I understand it. I find the usage of the term “leftist” about as vaguely useless as the term “woke”.
Ok. Then we are talking about the same group. What I’m trying to communicate is that young people, who overwhelmingly identify as liberal/left/progressive are participating less in elections. The other thread I’m responding to has all the Pew research numbers but if you’d like I can pull them here as well. If a large percentage of your electorate is absent from voting, don’t expect policy to change any time soon.
What I am trying to emphasize is that the old saw about people getting more conservative as they age is not true anymore. Gen X and millennials have each been more liberal than the next even as they age. I’m 42 and a hell of a lot further left than I was at 18.
I understand now what you mean. Yes, hopefully that translates into a more political participation as they age as well.
Youth voters do trend leftwards, but the reason for not voting isn’t because of being leftist, but because of being young.
Find an actual source.
I never said people don’t vote BECAUSE they are leftist, did I? Nothing you said disagrees with what I said: left leaning people (and by inclusion: young people) tend to participate less in elections. The current political leadership represents the people that voted for them: predominantly boomers. So in that regard, politicians are doing exactly what they were elected to do. What’s so difficult to understand?
You gave a source that says young people are voting less, not leftists, and your conclusion was that because young people tend to be more leftist, they aren’t voting.
Correct: Young people are overwhelmingly left, and young people don’t tend to vote. Where is the contradiction?
For comparison: conservatives are overwhelmingly older, and older people universally show up to vote.
I must be stupid and maybe I’m missing something. Walk me step-by-step where is the contradiction.
The statement was “leftists don’t vote,” not “young people don’t vote.” Leftists aren’t only young, and conservative youth don’t vote either.
Oh, I see. We’re being pedantic with words. I guess I should have been precise in my language for people so people like you can have cause to split hairs. What I meant to say is “the majority of leftists don’t vote” and this is well researched and supported by the numbers. Does that make you feel better? It doesn’t matter if conservative youth don’t vote, since the majority of the older population skews moderate or conservative. Both conservative and left youth can stay home, but that’s how we get where we are.
Edit: also, it doesn’t matter if conservative youth don’t vote. Youth vote skews left. If younger people OVERALL showed up to vote we would have more progressive candidates. I think we’re really struggling with stats today.
You didn’t give any numbers to support your claim, just a different claim.
To support the claim of leftists not voting, you need numbers showing that leftists don’t vote, not young people not voting.
I hope this helps!
The numbers are clear. I’m not sure where the break down is happening.
Conclusion: 3. The current electorate is composed of old people that tend to skew conservative. Those people show up to vote -every time.
Where is the contradiction?
More info from Pew 2022 election polls:
Also: