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Each generation is defined by the historical background they were born in and the historical and social events they experienced together. Therefore, the members of one such group are connected by a similar lifestyle and set of values. Millennials received numerous critics in their name, yet recent reports showed that they do get involved in politics. Therefore, the latest adult generation together with generation X’ers became the biggest voting block during the 2016 presidential election.
Millennials to Become the Biggest Voting Block Only in 2020 Onwards
Pew Research Center has just published a comprehensive paper about the influence of generation during the recent election for the presidential seat. The institute found that younger generations were responsible for 69.6 million votes. By comparison, older citizens cast a slightly lower number of 67.9 million votes. On top of that, millennials still need time to reach voting-age to enter the electorate community altogether.
Taking a closer look at millennials, Pew discovered that their voting power skyrocketed in a matter of 8 years. While there were 18.4 million of them who participated in 2008 elections, in 2016, there were 34 million who chose their future president. Generation X’ers cast 35.7 million votes in 2016. The study assessed that millennials are going to outnumber their older generations at next presidential elections in 2020.
Millennials Shifted from Religious Beliefs and Are More in Tune with Democratic Values
The moment this event will happen, the political theater has great chances of change. With the younger generation holding the decisive vote, they will desire to appoint a leader who is in alignment with their own set of values. The Pew report described this generation as independent and closer to Democratic virtues than older Americans.
For instance, last year 55% of millennials claimed that they are either Democrats or Democrat-leading independents. Only 33% of this generation identified themselves with the House Republicans or as right-leaning independents. On top of that, the majority are no longer holding religious beliefs in great esteem. This feature could undermine any electoral campaign which is based on faith. The Baby Boomer generation started to lose its influence as the biggest voting block in 2004 when it peaked.
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