https://www.idsnews.com/article/2024/08/gen-z-young-voters-harris...

https://www.idsnews.com/article/2024/08/gen-z-young-voters-harris-walz-campaign-indiana

There will be around40.8 million voters aged 18-27 eligible to vote in 2024, according to the Tuft’s University Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement. About 45% of these Gen Z voters are youth of color. Some political analysists believe these key groups could tip the scales in a close presidential election this fall.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, further emphasized his campaign’s reliance on young voters during a surprise appearance at the Youth Council meeting.

“This thing’s going to be close,” Walz said. “It is going to be closer than it should be. It’s going to be won in the trenches. It’s going to be won by your demographic for the most part.”

Walz told attendees that one of his biggest fears is that “poisonous politics” will make young people cynical and believe elections do not matter. He said his own students got him engaged in politics when he was a high school teacher.

“When do you get to make a mark that stands up for people who don’t have a voice against the most powerful and the richest?” Walz asked the cheering crowd. “When do you get a chance to say, ‘we’re not only going to be listened to, we’re going to start leading and making the decisions?’ That is what’s happening right now.”

After Walz exited the stage, the attendees at the Youth Council tried to grab selfies with the candidate and cheered “We’re not going back.”

Bloomington City Clerk Nicole Bolden, a delegate for Indiana’s ninth congressional district, told the Indiana Daily Student she thinks it's important for young people from her district, where IU is located, to be able to attend the convention.

“How can we make that happen?” Bolden said. “We have these wonderful events. We’ve got this convention. It’s also really expensive. How do we actually talk to people there and say, ‘how can we cut the cost so that we can actually have more young people in the room, so they can actually come in and do this work without bankrupting themselves before they can even really start going?’”