Everyone wants to understand millennials, the 18-29 year olds with whom advertisers, politicians, and policy all want to connect. What do they think? Who do they like? How will they vote?
Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP) has been cataloging millennial thinking every six months or so for the last fifteen years. The most recent results show that the twenty somethings surveyed are more cynical then their predecessors. However, if candidates or political parties reach out to them directly, this age group will engage politically.
John Della Volpe, IOP’s Director of Polling, told me that for all their documented diffidence, there is a millennial desire to connect.
Based on a briefing by Della Volpe, here are my takeaways about millennial thinking and attitudes:
1.) The majority of those sampled said they’d like to see a Democrat in the White House in 2016. But if you look at just independents, it’s more evenly split.
2.) On the Democratic side, the millennials favor Hillary -- by a lot. Even throwing Elizabeth Warren into the mix doesn’t seem to change that.
3.) Can’t really tell if those polled actually know who the GOP candidates are, but when presented with pictures and names their vote is evenly split. And, by the way, the poll does not seem to suggest that millennials are partial to younger candidates in either party.
4.) 49 percent don’t have confidence in our justice system. And here’s a stunner: the news gets worse when you break it down by race. African American millennials -- to the tune of 66 percent - have no confidence in the system, compared to whites at 43 percent. (And this poll was taken long before Baltimore.)
5.) Social justice movements such as “Black Lives Matter” do not necessarily result in change, according to millennials. But many think body cameras worn by police could make a difference.
6.) There appears to be a swing in young voters’ attitude toward foreign policy. 57 percent support the use of ground troops against ISIS. This desire for a more forceful US hand overseas is about the same in both parties.
7.) Millennial attitudes toward global warming are similar to the rest of the country. Two thirds of those sampled believe global warning is a proven fact.
8.) Statistics about sexual assault on campus often create more questions than answers. That said, this poll points out something stunning: over a third of those polled have had some personal experience with sexual assault. 11 percent actually identify as victims and 20 percent say they have a close friend who was assaulted.
9.) Younger voters are starting to trust institutions like Wall Street, the Military, and the UN more -- but it’s still a no go for Congress. And there’s just the slightest increase in trust in the media.
10.) President Obama’s image among millennials is on the upswing; ratings on his job performance are up 7 percent over the past six months.
This is just a snapshot. If nothing else, this poll shows millennials are fairly complicated. One size doesn’t fit all. Do yourself a favor and read full results at the Institute for Politics website.
