Our generation can sway this election. But the candidates and the media aren’t speaking to us.
By Eli Love
According to the Pew Research Center, there are now effectively as many Millennial voters (69.2 million) as there are Baby Boomer voters (69.7 million). But you would never know it looking at how little attention the current Presidential campaigns are paying to the substantive concerns of our generation.
The closest a candidate has come to speaking to Millennials is Bernie Sanders who was willing to discuss things like free college education. But instead of viewing the enthusiasm around Sanders’ campaign as a sign of where the conversation needs to go, the media and the political establishment derided Sanders’ supporters as naïve and selfish — voters who would disengage from the political process once their candidate was out of the race.
That’s not who we are and it’s crucial that the remaining presidential candidates move beyond stereotypes and see our true potential.
To understand what’s at risk if politicians do not tap into our enthusiasm and our energy, just look at the recent Brexit situation. Almost 75% of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 voted to remain — expressing their belief in multiculturalism, inclusion and innovation. At the other end of the scale, 60% of voters over the age of 65 voted to leave — many succumbing to their anxiety about the profound changes happening in our world. Imagine how things would have turned out differently if the remain campaign had worked a little harder to reach more Millennial voters. Imagine if the voting public had heard from more Millennial voices who could have shared their aspirational vision for their country.
As our own election looms, it’s time for American politicians to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes.
The Millennials my organization works with every day are entrepreneurs, philanthropists and public servants who consistently defy Millennial stereotypes. And they’re not alone. We recently took a survey of 810 people between the ages of 18 and 44 to find out what my generation is really thinking. It turns out 70% of us plan to vote. Almost three-quarters of us believe that the election will have an impact on our lives but 58% say the media that is covering the election is not highlighting the issues Millennials care about the most.
At the top of my generation’s list of important issues: improving the economy. We are incredibly entrepreneurial, 51% of us believe that the American dream is achievable. But we know we need a strong economy to turn our business dreams into reality.
The second most important issue for us is equality for all Americans. Millennials are the most racially diverse generation ever, almost half of us are non-white.. We believe strongly that everyone should have the same opportunities and that racism needs to become a thing of the past.
We are also strong believers in technology. A majority (61%) of us say we believe technology will contribute to our economic prosperity. That should come as no surprise since 86% of Millennials own smartphones and we are a generation that has always lived our lives online.
The challenge for the presidential candidates, and for all of us, is to understand who Millennials are and to collaborate with us to build a meaningful policy agenda — one that will inspire greater participation from all citizens, address the myriad public challenges we face and set a course to expand 21st century opportunities to all Americans.
This generation is fired up and ready to go. We are prepared to bring our passion, talent and commitment to moving our country forward. Instead of seeing us as the laziest generation, view us through the lens of our enthusiastic, entrepreneurial spirit. Dismiss us, and we all miss the chance to seize the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead. Engage us, and together we can do great things.
Eli Love, a Millennial, is chief of staff of CALinnovates
