Teen Vogue and Ipsos Release Findings Of 2020 Young Voter Survey

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Young people are politically engaged and invested in the issues that matter to their communities. As the 2020 presidential candidates seek to engage millennials and Gen Z in electoral politics, Teen Vogue released today the findings of the 2020 Young Voter Survey, conducted in partnership with market-research company Ipsos, which polled more than 2,000 people ages 18 to 34 and identified which issues are most important to them. Featured as part of Teen Vogue's ongoing #TeenVote2020 coverage leading up to the November election, the findings reveal that young Americans are more unified across party lines and more socially progressive than older counterparts, and they are likely to vote in the upcoming presidential election. 

With millennials and Gen Z projected to overtake baby boomers as the largest adult population––and ultimately become the largest generation of eligible voters––their views on the biggest issues facing the country and the policies of the 2020 candidates matter more than ever before. According to the findings, there is clear agreement on the top issues that would make young Americans more likely to support a presidential candidate in 2020; however, opinions vary on specific policy proposals that would best address those issues.

Among the findings, the Teen Vogue/Ipsos 2020 Young Voter Survey revealed that:

• 77% of respondents reported being "certain" or "likely" to vote in the 2020 presidential election.
• Less than one-third (27%) of respondents believe President Trump deserves to be reelected.
• Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are in agreement that the top three issues U.S. political leaders should address are health care, the economy, and education—though they disagree on the specific policy proposals that would best address those issues.
• Nearly three in four (73%) of those surveyed said they agree that our future is at risk because of climate change (including 77% of those 18 to 24 and 60% of all Republicans surveyed). Sixty-nine percent said they don't think the government will act quickly enough to stop it.
• A candidate's support for a plan to reduce student debt was a positive for 71% of all respondents (and 75% of those ages 18 to 24).
• A candidate's support for Medicare for All was a positive for 59% of those surveyed, compared with only 15% who said it had a negative impact.
• Nearly two in three respondents said that a plan to tackle climate change by 2030 was a good thing for a 2020 candidate (64% positive, 9% negative).
• Young people of all political affiliations are more socially progressive than their older counterparts: 66% support federal funding for abortion, 76% believe birth control should be freely available without prescriptions, and 74% believe all LGBTQ+ people deserve equal rights.
• 71% of respondents said they believed that undocumented people should have a pathway to citizenship.

"We knew that this generation is politically involved, but we wanted to explore how that engagement would translate to the election and motivate the much-sought-after 'youth vote,'" says Samhita Mukhopadhyay, executive editor of Teen Vogue. "A lot of assumptions are made about young people, so at a time when there is much discussion about political polarization, it's exciting to hear directly from younger voters across party lines that they are actually more socially progressive and in agreement on key issues, and that they are looking to hold those running for office accountable."

"This Teen Vogue/Ipsos survey of 18- to 34-year-olds makes clear that young people are looking for big changes in how America is run," says Chris Jackson, vice president at Ipsos. "With majorities telling us they support programs like Medicare for All, tackling climate change, and making college free, young people are discontent with the shape of society and are unafraid of bold changes."

For more survey findings and to read Teen Vogue's coverage of the Teen Vogue/Ipsos 2020 Young Voter Survey, visit: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/teen-vogue-ipsos-2020-survey

To view the full report visit: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/teen-vogue-youth-vote-2020

Methodology: These are findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between November 14 and November 26, 2019, on behalf of Teen Vogue that included a sample of 2,206 adults ages 18 to 34 interviewed online in English. Ipsos is one of the world's largest market-research companies, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Source: Teen Vogue/Ipsos 2020 Young Voter Survey of 2,000+ 18- to 34-year-olds, conducted November 2019.

SOURCE Teen Vogue