He’s doing better than in 2020.
A recent NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z Poll, conducted by SurveyMonkey, reveals that 50% of Gen Z voters plan to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election, while 33% intend to vote for former President Donald Trump. This gap between the two candidates is larger for Harris compared to some other recent polls but does not quite match the level of support seen for Democrats in the 2020 election.
The survey, which gathered responses from 2,617 registered voters under 30, highlights the challenges young voters face in 2024, such as rising costs and financial concerns that are affecting their life decisions. Approximately 10% of respondents indicated they will not participate in the presidential election.
Among those Gen Z voters who are likely to vote, 60% are expected to back Harris, a figure that aligns with the support Joe Biden received from 18- to 29-year-olds in 2020. This contrasts with some of the pre-dropout polls for Biden in 2024. The survey also reveals that 73% of Gen Z voters favor establishing a maximum age limit for presidential candidates, with 54% suggesting it should be set below 65 years old.
The poll also uncovers a significant gender gap in support for Harris. Young women are 30 points more likely to support Harris than Trump, while young men show a much narrower preference, with only a 4-point lead for Harris. Despite these differences, both young men and women exhibit similar levels of enthusiasm about voting, with around 55% in each group being “absolutely certain” they will vote.
Party alignment shows strong support for party candidates, with about 80% of young Democrats and Republicans committed to their respective choices. Among independents, support is evenly split between Harris and Trump, with both candidates receiving approximately 25% of the vote. Notably, 34% of young independents who do not lean towards either party have indicated they will abstain from voting.
Overall, 88% of Gen Z respondents are likely to vote in the presidential election, with 55% almost certain to do so. Harris leads Trump by 26 points among college graduates (56% to 30%) and maintains a 25-point lead among current college students (54% to 29%). However, support is tied at 41% between Harris and Trump among young voters without a college degree or who are not currently enrolled in school.
