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HOW TO HARNESSTHIS GENERATION’SPOLITICAL IMPACT

Snap | Don’t Scroll Past Gen Z

Young Americans
haven’t always shown
up when it counts.

among Gen Zers. Twenty-three million
young people ages 18 to 23 are eligible tovote in the upcoming presidential election— many for the first time. But challenges
still remain in helping them show up to thepolls. While this generation is more likely
than older adults to have signed petitionsor had uncomfortable conversations withfriends about tough topics2, they’re far lessfamiliar with the systems still governing
elections today. And for young first-time
voters — who typically learn about voting
on college campuses, or don’t attend
college and therefore lack access to thesame level of civic education — reachingthem where they are is more importantand more challenging than ever. Civic
engagement simply has not caught up
with the way this generation experiences
the social causes that matter most tothem — through their phones.

Historically, the youth voting block has
trailed all others when it comes to voter
participation, so it makes sense political
campaigns and elected officials haven’t
spent much time considering their vote.
But this year, things are different, and thecircumstances of this election are unique.
Data suggests that Gen Z — those born in1996 or later, and many of whom will be
eligible to vote in their first presidential
election this year — will show up to vote
like never before in 2020. They’re building
off momentum from the 2018 midterms
and have been stirred by a global
pandemic. Plus, campaigns have had toincreasingly shift voter outreach online —a place where Gen Zers already spend a
lot of their time.

In this white paper, we explore the barriers
keeping Gen Z from voting, the issues thatmatter most to them, and the best ways
to reach this influential generation. Our
conclusions are informed by proprietary
quantitative data from CIRCLE and
The Morning Consult, along with newqualitative research among bipartisan
Gen Z voters and experts working closelywith Gen Z communities, conducted by
Crowd DNA in summer 2020 leading up
to the November election.

Gen Z are passionate about theircommunity, country, and society, because
the issues affecting the election thisyear are closer to home than ever. This
generation grew up during the financial
crisis and has had to face school shootings,
climate change, racial inequality, and themost devastating pandemic in a century.
In fact, 82% of Gen Zers say this pandemic
has made them realize how their politicalleaders’ decisions impact our everyday
lives1. And they are experiencing all of thisthrough their phones.

TL; DR? Gen Z might just surprise
everyone this election.

The momentum for voter turnout is gaining
1 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
2 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Bureau Of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey March Basic Supplement, 2020.

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Gen Z
by the numbers
23 million

young people aged 18 to 23 are eligible to vote3

85%
of Gen Zers believe young people
have the power to change thingsin this country482%
of Gen Zers say this pandemic made themrealize that political leaders’ decisions
impact the everyday lives of people563%
of students aged 18 to 21 learned
about civic processes while attending college633%
Only one-third of 18 to 23-year-olds
are able to attend college full time7

3 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey March Basic Supplement, 2020.
4 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
5 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
6 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
7 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Census Bureau Current Population Survey March 2020 Basic Supplement.

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Gen Z’s Rising
Political Power
voter turnout rates increased significantly,
with participation rising to 41% among
millennials, 54% among Gen Xers, and
64% among baby boomers. In contrast,
in 2014, voter turnout for each generation
was 22%, 39%, and 52%, respectively,11
meaning young voters almost doubled
their participation between 2014 and2018 — by far the greatest increase of any
age group.

23 million young people aged 18 to
23 are eligible to participate in the2020 presidential election.8
Historically, young people have turned out
in lower numbers than older generations.
There are a number of factors behind
this: voting systems and processes thathaven’t been built for them, confusing
and unclear laws, lack of civic educationand campaign outreach — all that, plus
a perceived generational apathy. But
recent election cycles show young voters
are beginning to buck these trends, and2020 may prove to be an inflection point
in youth voter turnout.

Looking specifically at 18 to 23-year-old
voters, that trend holds: in 2018, 32%
voted, up from 17% in 2014.12
In the upcoming 2020 election, 23 million
young people aged 18 to 23 are eligible toparticipate, and many of them are castinga ballot for the first time. In fact, over 15
million people have turned 18 since thelast presidential election.

In the 2016 presidential election, only 9.6
million — or 42% — of 18 to 23-year-olds
eligible to vote actually cast a ballot9. Inthat cycle, we saw tighter races in states
where youth voter participation was
higher, implying that an increase in the
youth vote really does count.

If this year’s numbers mirror those of the2018 midterms, we’ll see record-breaking
participation from Gen Z in 2020 — ayouth turnout like never before.

In the 2018 midterms, we saw asurge in youth voting — turnout
suddenly increased to 32% after
decades of stagnation in midterm
cycles (compared to 17% in 2014).10

What’s driving this upsurge? Acrossevery young person we spoke to for thisresearch — and across all their differing
political ideologies — we discovered tworoot causes.

In the 2018 midterm election, overall US

8 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Bureau Of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey March Basic Supplement, 2020.
9 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Bureau Of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey March Basic Supplement, 2016.
10 CIRCLE analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey November Voting and Registration Supplement 2014 and 2018.
11 CIRCLE analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey November Voting and Registration Supplement 2014 and 2018.
12 CIRCLE analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey November Voting and Registration Supplement 2014 and 2018.

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Snap | Don’t Scroll Past Gen ZFirstly, Gen Z is an action-oriented
generation. They’re used to using digitalplatforms and creative tools to express
themselves, including advocating for andparticipating in efforts for social change.
While protestors are often portrayedin the media as being one-sided on
important issues, young people who
identify as both conservative and liberalconsider themselves activists advocating
for change.

The second reason Gen Zers arevoting more? They care deeply about
issues impacting their daily lives andlocal communities, but don’t feel theirconcerns are represented by nationallevel politicians or government — and
COVID-19 has only intensified this feeling.
An overwhelming majority of 18 to
29-year-olds say the pandemic has madethem realize politicians’ decisions impact
their everyday lives.13

Let’s dive deeper into the data. Across the political spectrum, Gen Zers are more likely tohave taken the following actions (vs. adults overall):Gen Z
Adults overall

55%
37%

51%
41%

Online activism

Signed petitions

26%
16%

43%
34%

Participatedin protests14

Engaged others in
difficult conversations
about different issues

13 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 4 x Gen Z experts, August 2020.
14 Morning Consult Survey (August 2020): What type of action(s) have you taken? (Base: Gen Z, n. 224).

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We’re seeing that Gen Zers are eager tospeak out about their beliefs in ways
older generations generally do not. In
fact, members of Gen Z are more likely
to consider themselves “activists” thanmillennials were at their age.15

Online platforms give Gen Zers an outlet
for the content they create, and being
active on them gives these young people
a voice, empowering a generation. Manyof the Gen Zers we spoke to explained
they’ve used these platforms to participate
in activism. It’s how they can express
themselves, particularly by organizing
and connecting with others who aresimilarly passionate about certain beliefs,
sharing and signing petitions demanding
action. Plus, by connecting through theseplatforms, they’re able to feel part of abigger collective movement.

“My generation is very
involved on all fronts. Not
just political but social — also
environmental causes. We want
to bring about change by being
the change and advocating forthe change.”16“There are issues that are
impacting us more than previous
generations. Gun violence inschools has become moreprevalent. Climate change ismore imminent. It will probably
directly impact us and ourchildren. These issues are moreat the forefront of our minds.”17Maya, 21Charlotte, NC (Conservative)

As the first generation to grow up withconstant access to digital communicationand entertainment platforms, Gen Z
is unique. They use these platforms tocommunicate with each other, pass thetime, and access information. It shouldcome as no surprise that 66% of Gen Zers
use social and video apps to get news
about politics.18

Richa, 18Jacksonville, FL (Liberal)

Online communication platforms also
work as an equalizer between politicians
and citizens. Seeing real content fromcandidates can make them seem moreaccessible. By meeting Gen Zers where
they are, candidates are able to share
more about their policies in a credible
setting.

Young people are also producing more
content than ever before as a form of selfexpression — and activism. Over 60%
of 18 to 23-year-olds say they feel more
represented through creating media andcontent about politics or social issues.19

15 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020, compared to CIRCLE/Tisch College 2016 and 2018 youth survey in 		
which Millennials were surveyed
16 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 8 x Gen Z participants, August 2020.
17 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 8 x Gen Z participants, August 2020.
18 Morning Consult Survey (August 2020): From which of these sources do you get news about politics? (Base: Gen Z, n. 346).
19 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.

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as city planning. Why? These topics aren’t
typically viewed as politics but instead as“issues.” The goals are clearer and quite
literally closer to home, so it’s easier toget behind the idea of reforming a justicesystem, creating affordable housing
units, or expanding local parks andrecreation programs when specific to aneighborhood, district, or state. And even
if a local candidate is significantly older
than Gen Zers, they’re still easier to relate
to. Living in the same community offers
stronger opportunities to find common
ground.

79% of Gen Zers agree: “I believethat I have a personal responsibility
to create the change I want to see inthe world.”20
Despite the rise in youth activism,
media commentary tends to diminish
the potential of their vote, assuming allof this passion and energy ultimately
falls short of pushing young people tothe polls. The argument says that youth
voters feel so misrepresented and angry
about the unfairness of the system — andtheir perceived ineffectiveness of thegovernment — that they reject voting
altogether. This just isn’t true!

We know involvement in activism
motivates young people to vote. We also
know that current events, especially the
pandemic, are providing clear, tangible
examples of how political decisions canhave local consequences. Considering allof these facts, it’s easy to see why there
may be record-breaking turnout from Gen
Z this election.

A recent study conducted by Kei
Kawashima-Ginsberg and Abby Kiesa at
CIRCLE found that when young people
are involved in activism, their cynicism
about politics and lack of trust in
democratic systems do not discouragethem from voting — rather, these feelingsof dissatisfaction with status quo movethem to vote.21“79% of 18 to 29-yearolds said the pandemic
made them realize thatthe decisions of politicians
impact their everyday lives.
It’s something [impacting
everyone] across the
spectrum.”

Gen Zers are more likely than all othergenerations to feel compelled tovote because they care about theircommunity (one in five selected this as
the reason that most compels them tovote).22
Interestingly, Gen Zers find it easier toconnect with local politics rather thannational, taking an interest in fields such

Abby Kiesa, CIRCLE23

20 2020 GroupSolver US study commissioned by Snap Inc.
21 Kawashima-Ginsberg, K. & Kiesa, A.I. (2019). “Getting Young People to Vote: Seven Tips for the Classroom.” Social Education, 83(4), 194-199.
22 Morning Consult Survey (August 2020): People vote for many reasons. From the list below, which one reason most compels you to vote? (Base: 		
Gen Z, n. 207).
23 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 4 x Gen Z experts, August 2020.

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Overcoming Voting
Barriers in 2020
Despite this momentum, significant
barriers persist that threaten Gen Zers’
access to voting this election cycle. For
starters, our voting systems have largely
been designed with older demographics
in mind. Gen Z is a mobile-first generation,and the voting process simply hasn’t beenmodernized for the way they communicate
and consume information.

classmates, or at school,24 throughgroups that push on-campus registrationand professors who share critical voting
information.
All of these dynamics are significantly
exacerbated by the logistical challenges
and consequences posed by COVID-19.

More than a third of 18 to 21-yearolds said they didn’t know if online
voter registration was available intheir state.25

Plus, because of historical voting
patterns, the larger political ecosystemgenerally hasn’t prioritized understanding
and reaching first-time and youth voterswhere they are. There are exceptions, ofcourse, but many political campaigns,
civic-education efforts, and even politicalpolling and research organizations treat
Gen Zers like an afterthought. For example,
some political polls that survey registeredvoters don’t include newly registeredvoters in their sample sets — which means
young people are more likely to be left outof the equation.

Only 21% of Gen Zers (compared to 27%
of millennials) have voted by mail atleast once, and though 65% have seen
information regarding voting by mail, 35%
haven’t seen any information at all.26 Morethan 27% of 18 to 21-year-olds say they
don’t know where to find information
about mail-in voting.27

Only 36% of 18 to 23-year-olds areenrolled in college full time, whichmeans nearly two-thirds don’t
have the same civic and politicalengagement opportunities.28

Moreover, the tools that currently exist to
help educate first-time and youth voterslargely favor those with socioeconomic
privilege. Over 20% of 18 to 23-year-olds
previously reported getting information
about elections and voting from teachers,

Full-time college students are more likely

24 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
25 CIRCLE/Tisch College, Growing Voters: A Profile of the Youngest Eligible Voters in 2020, July 2020.
26 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
27 CIRCLE/Tisch College, Growing Voters: A Profile of the Youngest Eligible Voters in 2020, July 2020.
28 CIRCLE’s analysis of the Census Current Population Survey March 2020 data. CIRCLE’s 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020, 			
showed that 35% of the sample said they were enrolled full time at a college..

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to be engaged in activism than those notenrolled in college (68% vs. 56%). A vast
majority believe they have the power tochange things in this country (94%) and tohear from peers about civic and politicalengagement (78%). So the next question,
inevitably, is how to empower Gen Zers
who aren’t in college full time.29“If you’re not registered to vote,
you’re not targeted. If you vote,
you’re much more likely to becontacted. That contact means
so much — that systematic
exclusion of some [people] fromthis multibillion dollar thing is a
big failure to bring young people
into a strong democracy.”

About one-third of 18 to 23-year-olds are
full-time college students. Others are
studying part time, still in high school,
working or looking for work, and somehave already graduated from college,
but the disparity in civic and political
opportunities between full-time college
students and other young people is still
worrisome. Being able to attend college
full-time is a privilege not afforded to all.

Abby Kiesa, CIRCLE30

vote or have yet to align with a particularparty.

This disparity in civic and political
opportunity isn’t just about being
college educated — education alone
isn’t enhancing voter turnout. Being
surrounded by and learning from peerswith different life experiences as well as
increased access to activist movements
can be a motivating factor to vote.

Over 50% of Gen Zers get information
about voting and elections from theirparents.31
For many Gen Zers, guidance from theirparents can be a key source of information
about voting and elections — or at thevery least, an excellent starting point. But
underrepresented young voters are more
likely to have non-participating parents,
and this can present a huge barrier togetting the knowledge they need tovote. It can even get in the way of simply
feeling encouraged to vote. And while
every majority racial and ethnic group

Another reason for lack of engagement
stems from the fact that many young
people may not have anyone actively
discussing politics with them. It’s a failurethat extends all the way from the family
home and friend groups to politicaloutreach. Campaigns tend to exclude
young voters in outreach and messaging,
often because they aren’t registered to
29 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.
30 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 4 x Gen Z experts, August 2020.
31 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, fielded May 20–June 18, 2020.

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saw historic increases in voter turnout in
2018, the rate of participation remained
significantly lower for minorities: Black
voter turnout was 51.5%, compared to57.5% for white voters, and for Hispanic/
Latinx and Asian Americans, turnout waseven lower, at just 40%.

As schools continue to grapple with thechallenges posed by COVID-19, young
voters are making difficult decisions —should they move to another state toattend college in person, stay home andcontinue with remote learning, or evenmove into college housing but attend
classes remotely? Because of continued
unpredictability around the pandemic,
young people are likely to continue facing
added logistical challenges around voting
this election cycle, whether by mail or inperson.

However, when empowered throughother sources, like community outreachor civic-engagement initiatives, thesebarriers are reduced for young minority
voters. This way, young people feel asense of responsibility to encourage not
only their peers to vote but — in a majorrole reversal — their parents, too.

“Probably 70% of my teen
population had parents or
guardians who weren’t voting.
They were telling them, ‘My votedoesn’t count.’ I had to fightagainst that on a daily basis until
the teens were like, ‘I want tomake my own decisions.’”
Mark Trammel
Kansas City Boys
& Girls Club

32 Crowd DNA qualitative interviews with 4 x Gen Z experts, August 2020.

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How to Tap Into
Gen Z’s Political Power
We’ve
seen
how,
despitetheirdetermination and drive, Gen Zers areoften left out of conversations that mattermost. Whether due to lack of accessto education around voting, seemingly
disinterested candidates and campaigns,
hard-to-find information, or civicallydisengaged parents, the odds are stacked
against these young people. But we’veseen that Gen Z is simply unwilling toaccept this as their reality.

Mobile civic tools can play a pivotal role foryoung people in this election by providing
resources to educate young voters, help
them register, provide a sample ballot,
and ensure they understand their voting
options, whether by mail or in person.
Given most students aren’t on college
campuses — particularly this year — where
they have easy access to information,
digital tools can serve as an equalizer inproviding civic and political information
to young Americans across the country.

Now it’s up to campaigns, organizations,and brands to harness the power of Gen
Z. We’re seeing signs that campaign
outreach is moving in the right direction.

It’s time to finally connect with Gen
Z, provide the resources they need,encourage them to share those resources
with friends and family, get them to thepolls, and, ultimately, help them achieve
the representation they deserve.

2020 might be the year that we see
historic youth voter turnout.

As of June 2020, 47% ofyoung people aged 18 to
24 had personally been
contacted by campaigns
about voting, in contrast to
31% of the same age groupin September 2016.33

33 CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey fielded May 20–June 18, 2020, as compared to CIRCLE Youth Survey 2016.

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Methodology
CIRCLE provided Snap Inc. with proprietary analysis of their exclusive poll on young adults
from the first wave of the CIRCLE/Tisch College 2020 Youth Survey, which was fielded fromMay 20 to June 18, 2020. The survey covered adults between the ages of 18 and 29 who will be
eligible to vote in the United States by the 2020 general election.
This white paper was also supported by data from The Morning Consult. This poll was
conducted between August 5 and 9, 2020, among a national sample of 2,200 adults, plus
an oversample of 500 daily Snapchat users. The interviews were conducted online, and thenational sample data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age,gender, educational attainment, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin oferror of plus or minus two percentage points.
Lastly, we partnered with Crowd DNA to recruit and engage 16 Gen Z participants, speaking
to young people across the political spectrum: activists, apathetics, liberals, conservatives,
independents, and undecideds. We asked them questions about civic engagement in America
today, including the causes that matter most to them, when and how they’ve gotten involved in
activist movements, their voting intentions, political preferences and, of course, the impact of
all things 2020 on the above. We focused on Gen Zers living in cities in the spotlight this year:
Charlotte, Columbus, Jacksonville, Miami, Milwaukee, and Portland.
Four experts on youth engagement helped us interpret the data in a more holistic sense,
highlighting broader demographic trends. Critically, as individuals leading initiatives andorganizations that encourage civic engagement, we were able to learn more about optimalroutes to connect with Gen Z and to inspire them to take action.

Special thanks to:
Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Ph.D. – Director, CIRCLE
Abby Kiesa – Director Of Impact, CIRCLE
Ewurabena Ashun – Curriculum Coordinator, Black Girls CodeMegan Brandon – Regional Program Manager, Generation Citizen
Mark Trammel – Teen Services Director, Kansas City Boys & Girls Club12