In the aftermath of the last election, some local Gen-Zers say they are losing trust in the institutions that underpin American democracy, from elections to political parties.
These young voters said they didn’t feel adequately represented by the presidential choices on the ballot. That, combined with the overwhelming influence of corporate money in political campaigns, they said, is eroding their faith in electoral politics as the backbone of democratic governance.
“We’re the first generation in a long time not to have better opportunities or mobility than our parents,” said Gabriel Sanchez, a newly elected Gen Z Democrat, who was just elected to represent Smyrna’s House District 42. The 27-year old said he ran for office to “build a working-class movement to fight for a government that works for all of us.”
“If people are struggling from lack of opportunity, low wages, and way too high cost of living – and the institutions show no sign of genuinely addressing these issues – why would they have faith in the institutions that are supposed to manage the economy and our society?” he asked.
A poll of young Americans, taken in the runup to the Nov. 5 election, reflected Sanchez’s perspective. It revealed that 83% of respondents ages 18 to 30 are worried about the state of democracy, according to the nonpartisan Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University.
This unease was mirrored at the ballot box, where only 42% of voters aged 18 to 29 cast ballots in the last election — down from youth turnout of over 50% in 2020, according to the nonpartisan Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.
Dark money and corporate influence
The feeling among American voters of all ages that elections are influenced by those with the deepest pockets is a major driver for the widespread distrust in electoral politics. Fully 72% of the public said there should be spending limits on political campaigns, while just 11% said individuals and organizations should be able to spend as much as they want, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center poll.
“We cannot say we live in a democracy when dozens of progressive issues, like universal healthcare, a living wage, paid leave for all, and legalizing marijuana, all have supermajority levels of support, yet only a small minority of politicians support those issues,” Sanchez said.
He thinks that disillusionment stems from the reality that many political institutions are “bought and paid for by huge corporations,” so they represent the interests of these corporations and the “wealthy elite,” instead of the people.
“We cannot say we live in a democracy when studies have shown that 90% of public policy is heavily influenced by the biggest corporations and the [wealthiest] 1%. That is not democracy – that is oligarchy. Unfortunately, this has led many to check out of politics or even some turning to right-wing extremism,” Sanchez added.
This sentiment is shared by Gen Z voters like Luke Barnett, 23, who’s a recent Kennesaw State University graduate. “Neither [party] can be trusted. They’re both bought and paid for by similar lobbying groups, and oftentimes the same lobbying group,” the Coweta County resident said.
In Barnett’s view, political donations from corporate interests dominate elections and distort the democratic process. “I’d like to see a push to get profit out of politics,” he said.
Similarly, Liam Vander Veen, 23, who’s an HVAC worker in Cherokee County, said: “It’s all run by money, and all these politicians are bought out anyways. I’ve never trusted a politician to begin with.”
No good options
Metro-Atlanta Gen Z-ers said they’re also frustrated by the lack of choice in the candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties, particularly at the presidential level. Many feel the two-party system fails to reflect their values or needs, forcing them to choose the “lesser evil” or abstain from voting entirely.
Alexandra Son, 18, a first-time Democratic voter from Cobb County, said she didn’t fully agree with either major candidate, but voted for Harris out of concerns over abortion rights and civil rights.
Vander Veen was similarly reluctant to vote. “I voted, because I couldn’t have it on my conscience that I didn’t,” he said, adding that he struggles to believe his vote makes a difference. Ultimately, he cast his ballot for Harris, seeing her as “the most damage control.”
“Neither major political party aligns with my beliefs,” said Vander Veen, who identifies as a leftist.
For several local races on Vander Veen’s Cherokee County ballot, a Republican candidate was running unopposed. Frustrated by the lack of choice, he resorted to writing in “poop” down the ballot for all local races.
“I think there’s this guise of democracy,” he said. “The fact that it’s even ‘representative’ is flawed. You’re picking someone who’s supposedly going to represent all your interests, but that’s never the case.”
Barnett, who identifies politically as a socialist, echoed these concerns. “Sometimes it feels like we only have two choices. They might say they’re different, but when it comes down to it, they both push the same policies. I think we need more options, especially for people like me who don’t fit into the party lines.”
His perspective highlights a larger issue in Georgia’s election system: the structural barriers that hinder third-party or independent candidates and limit voter choice.
Barnett said he was disillusioned when the Georgia Supreme Court disqualified third-party presidential candidate Claudia De la Cruz and Cornel West, an independent, from the ballot, in response to a lawsuit by the Democratic Party of Georgia “After I saw them disqualify the votes, I figured, what was the point?” he said.
Barnett had planned to vote for De la Cruz, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) candidate. Instead, he cast his vote for Harris, a decision he now regrets, because he felt his original choice was unfairly disqualified – leaving him unable to express his true preference.
“I would have rather voted for my conscience,” he admitted.
What about ranked-choice voting?
One potential solution to young voters’ sense that their only options are Democrats and Republicans is ranked-choice voting (RCV).
By allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference, RCV eliminates the “spoiler effect” that prompts many to avoid voting for a candidate who isn’t a Democrat or Republican. If a voter’s first-choice candidate is knocked out of the running, their vote is transferred to their second choice – allowing voters to hedge their bets.
That enables people to vote for their preferred candidate, without the fear of feeling their vote won’t count, Sanchez said. Consequently, proponents say, RCV can expand the number of viable candidate options and reduce the influence of big-money interests backing the major-party candidates
“Ranked choice voting is an excellent tool to allow voters to make their ideal choices at the ballot box without having to sacrifice pragmatism,” Sanchez said. He cautioned that the electorate needs educating about how RCV works to avoid confusion or frustration.
The three Gen Z voters, Barnett, Vander Veen, and Son, all agreed that RCV could be a potential solution to the two-party stranglehold on US elections.
Looking ahead
Despite their disillusionment, some young voters like Son are determined to stay engaged. “I sat in my friend’s room on election night, and we all cried for an hour,” Son said, remembering the moment Trump was predicted to win.
While that outcome was dismaying to the first-time voter, Son says it fueled her desire to stay involved in the electoral process. “Immediately after the election, I was like, ‘Well, shit, I’m not voting again. What impact does my vote have in anything?’ But then, I got angry. It made me want to have more of a say in how I live as a citizen here.”
Sanchez shares that drive to create a more representative and accountable democracy, as he prepares to represent state House District 42 for the first time in the upcoming legislative session.
“We need to shift the narrative in Georgia politics from being all about what’s good for business and instead focus on what is good for people,” he said. “I won’t be afraid to speak truth to power, and I am ready to take on the major corporate entities that dominate our legislature. I know I won’t be alone in that fight.”
You write 30+ grafs and can’t find a single person who wrestled with the unpleasant choices but finally voted GOP. But you did find someone who cried b/c Trump won. And you score several quotes about the influence of money in politics, but you fail to mention that the candidate with vastly more money — Harris — lost. This is the kind of reporting that makes people lose faith in reporters.
Final note from a Newsweek story: According to polling from YouGov carried out December 8-10, Trump was favored by 51 percent of 18-29 year olds, while 45 percent of 30-44 year olds also viewed him positively.