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Young Americans demand a bigger role in the presidential election

2024-08-03 19:08:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Republican vice presidential candidate is the first person from the so-called millennial generation, born before 2000, to run with one of the major political parties. Voice of America correspondent, Elizabeth Cherneff, introduces us to what voters of the younger generation expect from the November elections.

"It is my great privilege to introduce my husband and the next Vice President of the United States, JD Vance ," said his wife, Usha Vance .

JD Vance will become one of the youngest vice presidents if he wins the election in November alongside former President Donald Trump.

Mr. Vance and his wife belong to the millennial generation, a demographic group that according to the Pew Research Center consists of people born between 1981 and 1996.

In the United States, this generation faces economic challenges, such as high student debt and high home prices. These young people are known for their ability to adapt to technology, or for the impact that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 had on their formation, which Mr. Vance says changed their perception of life.

"After 9/11 I acted like thousands of other young people at that time with growing patriotism and love for country. I became a United States Marine ," Mr. Vance said.

Sarah Gardner, a voter who belongs to this generation in Texas, says that Republicans will support Mr. Vance.

"We have a lot of senior politicians in Washington and some of them have been there for a long time. That's why it's great to have someone with new ideas who can bring a new perspective and really represent young voters ," she says.

Now that Kamala Harris is expected to be the Democratic nominee for president, public opinion polls show an increase in support for her among young voters.

"We know that in this election young voters will be the key and we know that we cannot get your vote automatically. We have to earn it. And that's exactly what we're going to do ," said Mrs. Harris.

In California, David Meraz says Ms. Harris is the best choice for young voters.

"I think that at this moment, to have a competitive process, it represents something new. I think he has the qualifications for this role and I think he can win against Trump ," he said.

Together, millennial and younger voters, the so-called Generation Z, form a powerful bloc of voters, says DeNora Getachew, head of an organization that encourages youth participation, activism and service.

"If they come out to vote at the same level as in 2020, they will be 37% of the electorate. So the first step is to register as a voter. The second step is to go to the ballot boxes ," says Mrs. Getachew.

Although young voters have diverse political views, they agree on the need for change.

"We are watching America decline. And this happens because those who are chosen are not of our age. The next generation are people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Why are those who represent us in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s?" , says Ashrqat Saleh, voter in New York.

A poll by US News & World Report shows that for 70% of millennial voters, inflation and the cost of living are the top issues for this election. These concerns about the economy rank much higher for them than issues like abortion rights, gun violence, or climate change./ VOA