Sara Guillermo, CEO of IGNITE
“We've definitely witnessed a shift and increase in engagement and interest this election cycle,” said Will Bowen, political affairs director for the Tennessee College Democrats. “We started the year off with triple or quadruple the attendance that we averaged in years past at colleges across the state.”
A recent survey by IGNITE, an organization dedicated to empowering young people in political leadership, shows that job security and employment are top concerns for Gen Z voters. Since its founding in 2010, IGNITE has trained over 40,000 young women as leaders and began conducting research in 2019 to better understand Gen Z’s priorities and expand its impact on issues that matter to their generation.
The Gen Z College Students’ Voting and Political Engagement Report 2024, which surveyed 1,004 students aged 18-25 and conducted focus groups across major metro areas, highlights the pressing needs that are driving college students to the polls. The IGNITE report surveyed 1,004 Gen Z college students aged 18-25 from two-and four-year colleges across 48 states and Washington, D.C., with a balanced demographic sample of 50% men and 50% women. The racial breakdown included 52% white, 25% Hispanic/Latino, 14% Black, 3% Asian, and smaller percentages from other backgrounds. About 20% of respondents were from swing states.
“This report offers key insights into how Gen Z college students approach civic engagement and what issues drive them to be active participants in their democracy,” said Sara Guillermo, CEO of IGNITE. “At this pivotal moment, Gen Z college students are motivated by issues and policy solutions, not partisan politics.”
Guillermo said that roughly three-quarters of survey respondents intend to vote in the 2024 presidential election.
