Over the last decade, SheKnows has had an ongoing series of discussions with members of Gen Z to gauge how they feel about serious and substantial topics such as politics, gender and racial equality, and women’s rights. We’ve checked in with them as they’ve grown from energetic kids to insightful teens to young adults poised to make their mark on the world. These evolving conversations have provided a fascinating glimpse into their opinions over the years, but more importantly, how they’re feeling now that they’re old enough to vote — and playing a pivotal part in choosing our next President.

Gen Z Voters: By the Numbers — & Beyond

Nearly half of Gen Z voters (45 percent in the general electorate and 47 percent of newly eligible voters) are people of color, making Gen Z more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations. But their diversity isn’t all that sets them apart — not by a long shot. Gen Z has spent their teen and young adult years trying to navigate a complex web of interconnected crises, including systemic racism, gender-based violence, crippling student debt, and erosion of reproductive and gender rights, set against the ominous backdrop of climate change. They’ve seen only elections that feel polarizing and divisive, if not downright hostile. Older members of Gen Z report feeling disillusioned by the surge of negativity, misinformation, and harmful rhetoric that has dominated the past three election cycles; they’re tired and cynical, skeptical of each party’s true intentions.

Because of this, the resulting fear and uncertainty that many Gen Z-ers feel for their future has made them especially engaged in social activism, and deeply connected to the causes they’re passionate about. “They lean less into party divisions and are particularly motivated by the issues,” Emily Slatkow, communications director for the progressive youth voting organization NextGen America, said in an article for NBC News.

A recent survey revealed that almost one-third of Gen Z (32 percent) report being regularly active in social justice work, as opposed to just 24 percent of millennials — a number that goes up to roughly 40 percent among college-aged Gen Zers. For 62 percent of Gen Z activists, moral conviction is the top driver; they’re compelled by a deep sense of what is right. Another key motivator, cited by over half, is a personal connection — either their own experiences or those of close friends and family — which sparks their passion for specific social causes.

Back in 2020, a Pew Survey found that 22 percent of registered voters aged 18 to 23 — the oldest members of Gen Z — approved of how Donald Trump was handling his job as President, while about three-quarters disapproved (77 percent). In a September 2024 survey by NBC News, half of Gen Z voters say they’re planning to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November, while one-third say they’ll vote for former President Donald Trump; still a bigger gap for Harris, but not quite the majority seen in the 2020 election. The Fall 2024 Harvard Youth Poll, conducted by the Institute of Politics (IOP) at the Harvard Kennedy School, saw Harris leading Trump by a large margin — 64 percent versus 32 percent among likely voters.

Interestingly, while both genders are leaning heavily toward Harris, the rate of female support has far surpassed males; the gender gap, which stood at 17 points in the Spring poll, has nearly doubled and is now at 30 points. “There is this unprecedented gap in Gen Z, in the under 30s, in terms of political affiliation and voting intention. But it’s also worth emphasizing that more of that gap may be driven by the move of young women to the left than it is of young men to the right, Richard V. Reeves, author of the book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, told SheKnows. “I think that for most young men it’s actually more a question of feeling quite politically homeless. They don’t see much on the left for them, for sure. And I don’t necessarily think they’re wrong about that.”

But if talk doesn’t turn into action, none of these statistics will matter one iota, which brings us to the biggest question: Will Gen Z show up at the polls? According to the Harvard Youth Poll, absolutely. “Fifty-six percent of young Americans tell us they plan to ‘definitely’ vote in the upcoming election,” the findings state. “Among registered voters, the number rises to 72 percent.” This number has been bolstered by the surprising mid-race candidate swap. Before Harris took over as the Democratic nominee, Gen Z’s motivation to vote was much more lukewarm. “What I’m hearing from my generation, or my peers, is that people aren’t going to vote at all because they’re not feeling satisfied or represented by either of the big options,” Amelia, 21, told SheKnows prior to Biden’s departure from the race. Now, it’s a totally different story.

“Much of this increased enthusiasm among [Gen Z] Democrats is tied to Kamala Harris as their party’s nominee,” says the Harvard Poll. “More than four-in-five (81 percent) of Harris supporters in a direct match-up with Trump are enthusiastic about voting for her, nearly doubling the 43 percent of Biden supporters who said the same in March.” It can’t hurt that Harris’s campaign has intentionally set out to appeal largely to Gen Z voters; after all, teens do spend an average of 8.5 hours a day on screens, swiping through their social media.

The enthusiasm for Harris may be renewed, but it certainly isn’t new. “I hope that a woman could one day be President. I hope that a person of color could be President again,” Gen Z panelist Reed told us in 2020. “And I think that one thing we need to address is this country’s issue with women in office.” And in the same year, fellow panelist Jack mused, almost prophetically, “I don’t know what’s going to happen in four years. I think [Kamala Harris] would be a good President. I’d support her. I’d be able to vote then.”

Well, folks, “then” is now — and it’s Gen Z’s time to be heard. Will they realize the full potential of their impact and turn out in record numbers to vote? It’s a question we’ve waited for the past 10 years to answer … and in two weeks, we’ll all know. In the meantime, watch the full video to see the evolution of these first-time voters.

If you’ve been voting for a while, you might be seeing a lot of messaging this time of year around making sure your voter registration is up-to-date. But if you’ve got an 18-year-old in your life, you have some more homework on your hands this election season. In the event that your kid isn’t already one of those politically-active Gen Z types, this task could be difficult. We’d like to give you a little help with that.

If your teenager is reluctant or apathetic about the upcoming election, you’re not alone. Young voter turnout is notoriously low if improving. Tufts estimated that 50 percent of young people ages 18-29 voted in the 2020 presidential election, which is a significant jump from just 39 percent in the 2016 presidential election.

“In interviews with dozens of young people, we found that many of them lacked confidence in themselves and their ability to navigate the voting process for the first time,” John Holbein, assistant professor of public policy and education at the University of Virginia, wrote in the Conversation ahead of the 2020 presidential election. “Many told us that in their busy, hectic, and ever-changing schedules, voting often simply falls by the wayside.

“Simply put, many young people want to participate, care about what happens in the political arena, and plan to participate,” Holbein continued, “but they find doing so too big of a hassle to actually follow through on their good intentions.”

Holbein suggests that the easiest way to fix this problem is to make voter registration easier, which is happening in some states that have same-day voter registration. At the moment, however, we’ve got to get to help these kids register ASAP — before those laws can change.

Find an issue that motivates them

The youth-led gun-sense group Students Demand Action (an offshoot of Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action) has been holding voter registration drives and has resources for teens who want to hold their own drive.

Students Demand Action volunteer Alanna Miller, a then second-year student at Duke University, gave us a few tips on how she gets other young people to register ahead of the 2020 presidential election:

“When registering other young voters, I remind them that our generation has grown up in the midst of our country’s gun-violence crisis,” she told SheKnows via email. “And of course, now, the recent police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the shooting of Jacob Blake and so many others have added even more urgency to conversations around police violence as part of gun violence, and their disproportionate impact on Black people in America. Young people are eager to elect leaders who will do something about gun violence and police violence.”

The key to her approach is explaining that the youth vote can really make a difference if they turn out.

“Young voters who are motivated to end gun violence in America should know that there is room for change … ” she said. “Gun violence prevention consistently ranks as a top issue for young voters, so we know if young voters get registered, and turn out to vote, we can be a huge force … “

Find out what issues are really important to your teen, and then do the research together on what elected officials have said about it. They may have taken in rhetoric about politicians not caring and everyone being “the same,” but it’s up to you to talk about how that’s not the case. Look at local politics and laws that have been passed that directly impact your lives and discuss how your city, state, and U.S. representatives have acted — or haven’t — in your interest. Then look at a ballot and see how the people running this year might change that or might be inclined to listen once they’re in office.

Physically help them register

As Holbein wrote, many people feel like registering to vote is a huge headache, and it really doesn’t have to be. Head over to RocktheVote.org or Vote.org for multiple ways to register. Help them gather the information they’ll need for your state like their social security number, driver’s license, or ID number. You may be able to do everything online, but if something needs to be printed and mailed, you should have that prepared too. Anything you can do to smooth the way for them is great, and this is one time when no one will mind you helping a teen with their homework — just so long as they choose their own party affiliation (if any) and sign their names themselves.

Get Them Some Voting Swag

Some sweet voting merch from places like Etsy and UncommonGoods could be exactly what your teen needs to get in the patriotic spirit, register to vote, and then actually show up to the polls.

Do it on time

Voter registration deadlines vary by state and by each registration method. For instance, some states have different deadlines for voters who are registering in person versus online or by mail. Some states offer day-of registration, but make sure you have all your papers in order if your young voter plans to register at the polls on Nov. 5.

Prepare the next round of voters

Parenting expert and psychologist Reena B. Patel has a few tips for how to raise voters from a very young age. First, you need to be a role model by voting yourself and talking about who you’re voting for and why. Then talk about politics on a large and small scale.

“Talk with your child about how you handle disagreements in your home,” she said. “Politics can get heated, and it is important to let your child know that at the end of the day we come together for a bigger cause.”

And if the adults in our government can’t also figure out that particular lesson, we can vote them out!

“Young adults in Generation Z — those born in 1997 or after — have emerged from the pandemic feeling more disillusioned than any living generation before them, according to long-running surveys and interviews with dozens of young people around the country,” reported The Wall Street Journal earlier this year, a disillusionment reflected in Gen Z’s widespread skepticism of politics and discontent with both parties. “Young Americans’ entire political memories are subsumed by intense partisanship and warnings about the looming end of everything from U.S. democracy to the planet. When the darkest days of the pandemic started to end, inflation reached 40-year highs. The right to an abortion was overturned. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East raged. All of the turmoil is being broadcast — sometimes with almost apocalyptic language or graphic video — on social media.”

Just days ago, one of Gen Z’s own — 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks — attempted to assassinate former President Trump at a campaign rally, leaving one bystander dead and two more seriously injured, and losing his own life in the horrifying process. While there are still a ton of unanswered questions regarding his motives, we do know one thing for certain: it was a defining moment in the current state of politics. And for Gen Z, a defining moment in their perception of what’s happening in America.

We asked our panel of first-time Gen Z voters to weigh in on the event and the days surrounding it: what they’re seeing and hearing, how they think it will shape the rest of the election, and whether they’re feeling personally impacted.

Like most of us, they were stunned — but those who found out via social media were a little more skeptical, since the internet is renowned for churning out less-than-accurate information. “We all thought it was fake news at first,” recalls Amelia, 21. Stephanie, 20, who saw the news on Twitter, didn’t initially believe it either, saying she thought it was “some kind of joke people were making online.”

“There were a couple moments when nobody knew what was happening,” says Jack, 19.

As the news began to sink in, so did the gravity of the situation, leaving members of our SheKnows Teen Council feeling deeply unsettled. “The assassination attempt made me scared because I think it’s emblematic of the political division that is just getting increasingly out of hand,” confesses Amelia. Ajani, 18, reports that the assassination attempt made him feel “nervous and scared,” while Jack says, “it doesn’t make me feel super secure that Trump was shot at. Even if I don’t support the candidate politically, personally it feels bad that we’re still in an era of political violence.” It’s an era that Stephanie thought we were well beyond, and she describes the event as “eye-opening.”

“I thought it was, like, something of the past because of the security and level of intelligence that we have with technology,” she says. “I didn’t think that could occur again.”

Across the board, our panel of Gen Z-ers says they think the attempt will have a positive impact on Trump’s presidential campaign, especially given the candidate’s now-infamous reaction.

“I thought it was wild that he raised his hand afterward, like he was in a boxing match or something,” Amelia says. “It seemed like a really triumphant response to someone literally trying to, like, take you out.” She adds that she believes Trump is going to “feel emboldened by the fact that he survived an assassination attempt, and use it as a campaign point.”

“The photo of him raising his fist and saying something like, ‘Fight!’ and the Secret Service crowding around him I think is gonna be very important in the campaign moving forward,” says Jack. “It’s a picture that makes him look defiant and strong.”

“It’ll definitely benefit Trump because his supporters now see him even more as this kind of heroic figure for the country…he’s going to now push that agenda to help him create and gain even more supporters,” says Ajani.

Our panel also unanimously agreed that if the election were to happen tomorrow, Trump would emerge victorious. “I feel like Trump’s gonna win. Especially considering the assassination attempt, but also the debate and his V.P. pick…he’s just skyrocketing to victory,” says Jack. “With each step, it’s like he’s propelling himself, just gaining momentum.”

“If the election were held now, it would have an impact,” agrees political expert Dr. Nancy Beck Young, Moores Professor of History & Chair of the Department of History at the University of Houston. “[But] since the election is in November, it might well not have that much impact. Recent good news about the economy and news developments over the next three and a half months might overtake the assassination attempt.” She also believes that the now-iconic photo of Trump post-attempt will cement his exalted status to those who already support him, but won’t sway any opinions in the long run. “The image of a bloodied Trump with fist thrust upward will resonate positively with voters who were already in his camp,” Dr. Young tells SheKnows. “I doubt it will have much impact on voters who view Trump as a legitimate threat to democracy and would never cast a ballot for him.”

When it comes to casting ballots, our new voters expressed major concerns, seemingly reflecting Gen Z’s overall attitude to voting; according to data from a CNN poll, just 37 percent of voters ages 18-37 said they were satisfied with the presidential candidates, and this was at the end of April, prior to the first debate and the assassination attempt. Our panel overwhelmingly felt like their choice was to vote for “the lesser evil.”

“What I’m hearing from my generation, or my peers, is that people aren’t going to vote at all because they’re not feeling satisfied or represented by either of the big options,” says Amelia.

Around 8 million Gen Z voters are newly eligible to vote this year, and by 2028, millennials and Gen Z will make up half of the electorate. A study from Berkeley University reveals that they largely feel betrayed by older generations for failing to tackle pressing issues and instead passing them on: “[T]hose tens of millions of young Americans face risks that older generations could scarcely imagine: extreme economic inequality, climate change and warp-speed technological change that is shaking political and economic stability in the U.S. and much of the world.”

It’s a tough situation for them to be in, this generation who holds the country’s future in their hands. The gravity of this particular election feels unprecedented, and for many, it feels like we’re treading on shaky ground.

Despite all this, the newest generation of voters are overwhelmingly (and surprisingly!) optimistic, with a Gallup poll reporting that 76 percent of Gen Z surveyed felt “they have a great future ahead of them.” The political landscape of late may be tumultuous and uncertain — but perhaps they’ll take these lemons and make lemonade. At least, as Amelia says in true Gen Z fashion, “The memes are really funny.”

The Duchess of Sussex shared a joyful snapshot on a very rainy day in Los Angeles, wearing a blue Archewell baseball cap, a beige sweater, a blue raincoat, and an “I Voted” sticker on her chest. (See the photo HERE.) The image got the point across, but Meghan also shared a brief message about how to vote in today’s election. “Today is Election Day in the US! Time to get out and vote,” the message reads, “Text ARCHEWELL to 26797 to find your polling location and make sure you are ready to vote.” There are also helpful hints on voting and what to bring to the polls — and all of the links provided guided the readers to nonpartisan sites. 

This isn’t the first time Meghan has displayed political activism as a member of the royal family. In 2020, she became the first member of the palace in modern history to vote in a U.S. presidential election, according to People. While she did not disclose who she voted for, it might be pretty easy to guess that she’s not a fan of Donald Trump, who has criticized her in the past. 

British royal family members voluntarily choose not to vote in the U.K. elections, but Prince Harry has also voiced his opinions on both sides of the pond on why it’s important to exercise our right to vote. As the couple steps further and further away from their royal life, it will interesting to see if they wade deeper into the political waters.

Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.

Last week, a TikTok user by the name of @RoeVBros uploaded a series of gameshow-style videos of her stopping random men and asking them questions about periods. Her username is a reference to Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that protected abortion access nationwide for more than 40 years until it was overturned this June.

Roe‘s reversal has re-upped national conversations around reproductive health — and if @RoeVBros’s man-on-the-street interviews are any indication, cis men are in dire need of some basic education.

In the video, which now has over 1 million views, the TikToker asks one interviewee, “Can women pee with a tampon in?”

His response? “I think you gotta take it out. I’ve seen the little tampon trash cans in the bathroom, so I think that’s probably why.” Ummm…! We’re talking about two different holes, sir!

Another participant couldn’t even define what a period is, telling @RoeVBros that it’s “the time of the month when a woman ovulates.” Sorry, bro — that’s actually called ovulation. The period part of the menstrual cycle, a.k.a. menstruation, is when a person sheds their uterine lining.

I regret to inform you that it gets worse. “How many tampons do women use while on their period, on average?” she asks another dude, who responds, “One? Or two? I think one, to be honest. They put them inside…ugh.”

“Ugh?!” We’re talking about a basic biological function that every person with a uterus experiences! Get over yourself, bro.

Although their incorrect answers are comical, the clueless men featured in @RoeVBro’s videos are emblematic of a serious issue: Men simply aren’t well-educated about reproductive health for people with uteruses. Without the protection of Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers are now able to ban abortions, and at least 13 states already have. Now, one-third of pregnant Americans have to travel more than an hour away to reach their nearest abortion provider. It’s terrifying to think that there are male politicians out there attempting to legislate something they don’t fully understand.

Consider this your last reminder to head to the polls today (November 8) and make your voice heard in the 2022 midterm election. President Joe Biden has promised to codify abortion access if Democrats elect more senators and keep control of the House, but that can only happen if pro-choice voters cast their ballots. The stakes for reproductive justice are truly higher than ever.

Oh — did I mention that every man @RoeVBros interviewed is registered to vote?

“Don’t let man-brains outvote women in the upcoming election,” the TikToker warned her 128,000 followers. “Vote November 8.”

Before you go, check out our favorite period products for all kinds of menstruators: