Young voters could help shape the midterms. But will they turn out?

Advocates are enthusiastic about the potential for increased youth voter turnout in key races in Tuesday’s midterms.  

The economy, the Trump administration, AI and data centers have all sparked a fire in young Americans, according to youth voter groups that have knocked on thousands of doors across the country ahead of what is expected to be a good election for Democrats. 

A report from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) last month found Generation Z voters’ top priority this midterm is rising costs and inflation, along with the increase in housing prices and access to healthcare.

“I do think we’re going to see incredibly high levels of youth voter turnout this election, and it’s because there is no lack of care amongst young people. There’s an abundance of caring about the world and current events, and in the last two years, there have been no shortage of major events happening that directly affect these students,” said Jahnavi Rao, president and founder of New Voters. 

Polling has shown Democrats are likely to retake the House and potentially the Senate, according to Decision Desk HQ, after two years of a Republican trifecta.  

And for young voters, this election may be a referendum on President Trump. 

A Harvard Youth Poll from last month found 77 percent of surveyed young people disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, and 63 percent declared that their congressional vote would be in opposition to the president. 

Surveys on expected youth voter participation, however, have been mixed. 

The Harvard poll found 33 percent of young people planned to vote, down from 40 percent who said the same in the past two midterms. The decline this Election Day is mostly from young Republicans who aren’t as........

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