College Students Prioritized the Economy and Voted Democratic in the 2026 Midterms
Young voters who are currently enrolled in a college/university, trade school, or vocational program cited the economy/jobs as their top concern and voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates in the 2026 midterms—especially students who say they are “falling behind” financially.
About one in five young people who cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections are enrolled in an educational institution. Two-thirds of them voted for a Democratic House candidate in 2026: 66%, compared to 29% for Republicans. That is very similar to the vote split among non-enrolled youth (66% vs. 31%), a group that includes both youth who have never attended college and those who may have already graduated. The similar vote trends among enrolled and unenrolled youth was a notable dynamic in the 2026 midterm elections. There was a wider split by educational attainment: young people who either did not finish high school or whose highest level of education is a high school diploma were more likely than their peers to support Republicans.
As with all young voters, there were notable race/ ethnicity and gender gaps in vote choice among enrolled students. Seventy percent of young female students voted for a Democratic House candidate compared to 60% of young male students. More than 70% of young students of color voted for Democratic candidates, compared to 61% of young white students. Interestingly, young AAPI (76%) and Black students (75%) were less likely to vote Democratic than their non-enrolled AAPI (84%) and Black (81%) peers.
As we have seen throughout this election cycle, young students’ financial situations and economic struggles may have shaped their vote choice in the 2026 midterms even more than their race or gender identity. Among enrolled students who said they are “falling behind” financially, 78% voted for a Democratic House candidate and 16% for a Republican—an overwhelming 62-point margin for Democrats. By contrast, among students who say they are “getting ahead” split their vote almost evenly: 51% for Democrats and 47% for Republicans.
Young students were also motivated by similar issues to their unenrolled peers—though they prioritized some issues to a different extent. The top issues for both enrolled students and unenrolled youth were the economy/jobs, health care, the war in Iran, immigration, and education. Notably, however, enrolled youth were 11-points less likely to name the economy/jobs as one of their top priorities, which may speak to the greater economic struggles of non-enrolled youth.
