Millennial Voters current stance:
Young voters are frustrated, and who can blame them? As the picture above indicates, millennial voters (ages 18-35) comprise 31 percent of this year’s potential voting populous. After the second Presidential debate held this past Sunday, young voters painted an even bleaker picture of the two candidates. Zach Persing, a sophomore at Washington University, bluntly stated that “The reason that Donald Trump remains somewhat competitive is that he is running against someone who is so unpopular.” He claims that young voters are tired of the mudslinging that is occurring by both candidates, while issues of importance continue to go unaddressed.
Ways for Clinton to resonate more powerfully with young voters:
It’s not all doom and gloom for the former Secretary of State when it comes to millennials; while she is underperforming, she still “shares their values” more than any other candidate. In a recent New York Times/CBS poll, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein only hold a potential 36 percent of the young vote. This leaves a large pool of undecided voters left for Clinton to reel in come Election Day. In order for her to do this, the rhetoric has to change. People have become wary and tired of Clinton’s “pre-canned” answers when dealing with issues of controversy and policy. According to Bill Tulchin, a former Bernie Sanders pollster, Clinton should:
- Drive home similar policy issues at every campus in order to maintain consistency
- Develop an earnest and savvy social media campaign
- Hold a firmer position on the Black Lives Matter movement (found to be one of the most important issues amongst millennials)
- Continue to advocate a College Affordability Plan
While not a full proof plan, the issues listed above should act as a harbinger of what is to come from young people who are politically active. They are progressive, aggravated and looking for leadership in our current turbulent political landscape. If Clinton were to attack some of these issue earnestly, her chances are only set to improve.
Final Thoughts/Conclusions
Emily Neighbors, a 20 year old junior from Pennsylvania, summed up the “Trump factor” with this statement: “I lean towards Republicans and Conservatives, but I don’t think Donald Trump is a good representation of the party.” Between his wild, off the cuff rhetorical style and his recent, degrading marks involving women, it seems clear that Trump has lost credibility among myriads of millennials. With a remaining campaign strategy that places issues first, Clinton has the potential to rapidly expand her support among youthful ballot castors.