The Evolution of the Youth Vote: The Changing Politics of Gen Z

Pundits usually expect the youth vote to land heavily on the side of Democrats, but that trend shifted enough in the 2024 fall election to help deliver the federal government to Republicans. The Elections Research Center at UW will consider “The Evolution of the Youth Vote: The Changing Politics of Gen Z” with a panel discussion featuring authors and political scientists Melissa Deckman and Matthew Nelsen, Harvard pollster John Della Volpe, journalist Christian Paz, and ERC Director Barry Burden. 

media release: Sponsored by the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison.

Join us for an event featuring an expert panel about the shifting politics of Gen Z voters.

From rising political participation to shifting attitudes toward parties, institutions, and social issues, Gen Z is transforming the landscape of American politics. This panel will explore the forces shaping the political outlook of young Americans today, including economic precarity, social change, and new forms of civic engagement. 

Featuring an in-depth program beginning at 3pm, this panel brings together leading scholars, journalists, and polling experts to examine how the youth vote has evolved over the past two decades and what current trends reveal about the future of political participation in the United States. 

Our panel will feature Melissa Deckman (Public Religion Research Institute), John Della Volpe (Harvard University), Matthew Nelsen (University of Miami), and Christian Paz (Vox) and will be moderated by Barry Burden (UW-Madison).