THE 50 MILLION: Gen Z’S Power, Priorities, and Participation

 Authors: CIRCLE Team, When We All Vote Team

Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, CIRCLE partnered with When We All Vote to release a national research survey of 5,549 18-29 year olds.

While over 40 million members of Gen Z were eligible to vote in 2024, more than 21 million did not cast ballots. Almost 50 million Gen Zers will be eligible to vote in 2026, prompting this representative survey of 18–29 year olds. Fielded between January 26 and February 12, the survey captured the options of over 5,000 young people, oversampling young Black and Latino voters, whose voices are often underrepresented.

The full report can be found here.

Key Findings Include:

• Gen Z is engaged across the political spectrum. Gen Z is not fully represented by the dominant two-party model. While 57% still identify as either a Democrat or a Republican, 43% are without a party affiliation. Issues, not parties, continue to dominate discussion.
• 62% believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. While almost half of respondents are unsure whether their vote matters or do not believe it does, when asked to select multiple choices, 89% reported being willing to vote, 88% are willing to talk to friends and family about issues they care about, 78% will sign petitions, and 57% will protest or boycott. 
• Gen Z’s top issues are the economy, housing, and healthcare — with the economy dominating across demographics and political beliefs. Economic concerns lead overwhelmingly and are a unifying concern - 65% of respondents cite cost of living and inflation, followed by healthcare and housing costs. 
• Access to information is a key barrier between what Gen Z cares about and how they show up at the ballot box. Gen Z faces informational barriers connecting their top issues to candidates (28%) and ballot choices (20%). Black young people — who are as likely as other respondents to value voting/are willing to turnout— report more barriers, including information, transportation, and registration challenges. 

"Young people are sending us clear signals, not only of dissatisfaction with our politics and deep economic concerns, but also of a strong desire to take action and drive change. It’s up to all of us to take those messages to heart and work alongside them, turning both their frustrations and their passion into opportunities for engagement that will strengthen our democracy,” said Leela Strong, Newhouse Director of CIRCLE.

“What Gen Z says matters, and what they do next matters too. But we know that to reach new voters, we can’t use old tactics. That’s why When We All Vote is flipping the script on how we engage Gen Z by passing them the mic. By amplifying their experiences and then connecting priorities like the economy to what’s on their ballots, we’re meeting Gen Z on their terms in the 2026 midterms and beyond,”  said Kalisha Dessources Figures, When We All Vote Senior Advisor. 

Building on findings from the research report, When We All Vote is launching Pass the Mic, a national, nonpartisan effort to engage hundreds of thousands of young people and amplify the key issues that matter most in the world they want to build. The Pass the Mic listening tour will feature Lollapalooza and FIFA sweepstakes, events on college campuses, and more. 

For our part, CIRCLE will publish multiple posts using data from The 50 Million between now and the 2026 elections, breaking down trends and analyzing areas for growth in youth civic engagement. Posts will center party ideologies or lack thereof, financial well-being, how race and gender affect attitudes and barriers, and how organizations and individuals can best support the next generation of citizens. 

Despite frustrations, Gen Z is not apathetic and has distinct needs, concerns, and critiques of U.S. democracy. The 50 Million: Gen Z's Power, Priorities and Participation provides recommendations for how political institutions can better include, inform, and mobilize young people, including: engaging Gen Z through their lived experiences, especially on the economy; connecting their priorities to their ballot choices; and building nonpartisan pathways to political engagement.