Republicans took back the young male vote in 2024, shifting this demographic by 15-percent from 2020. This voting bloc ultimately propelled President Trump back to the White House. But now, many of those young men say they regret their vote.
The Democratic party has been hit with consistently low approval ratings since 2024, especially among this demographic. Finding little to no appeal in either party, young people across the country feel politically homeless. With increased anxiety regarding employment and housing costs, young voters have become more disengaged in voting.
Brent Whiting, Co-Founder & Vice President of Tomorrow We Vote, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss ways to win the youth back over.
Many young people register as independents because they do not feel aligned with either political party. According to Whiting, discussing issues and solutions are more effective with young people than focusing on political parties.
“We don’t even speak party, we speak to the issues that effect them,” Whiting said. “That’s how we get them to even register to vote or even become civically engaged… We speak about what they can do by using their one vote.”
Outreach requires transparency, according to Whiting. Young people are looking for information, and the way to do that is digitally. On the Tomorrow We Vote social media accounts, the organizations prioritizes publicizing accurate information backed by data sources.
For young people, knowing what they are voting for, and what their vote means, is vital to ensure they are making informed voting decisions. Whiting explains, helping young people realize that government policies directly impact them financially, in taxes paid and resources received, is key to understanding their civic power.
“It’s very important for them to vote because once they remove themselves out of the system, they’ll find out that the system will still work for or against them regardless,” Whiting said.
