For Gen Z, US election is all about the economy

People aged 22-24 hold more debt of all kinds – credit cards, car loans and mortgages – than millennials did at the same age, the credit agency TransUnion found. And their debt is rising faster than their income.

“There’s no beginner mode anymore – the bottom rung of the ladder just feels completely gone, I think, for most of the generation,” Ms Scanlon said.

And those fears of being left behind could drive voters to the ballot box, experts say.

Abby Kiesa, deputy director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (Circle), told the BBC she expects about half of young voters to turn out in this election – a similar proportion to 2020, which had the highest turnout in decades and an 11% increase compared to the presidential election in 2016.

Meanwhile, the 2018 midterms saw a record-breaking turnout among young voters, according to Circle.

That’s still far below the turnout of other age groups. In 2020, 69% of eligible Americans aged 35-64 voted, while 74% of voters over the age of 65 went to the polls, according to the US Census, external. But in an election that will be won by a razor’s edge, being able to rally a significant percentage of new voters could help give a candidate the boost they need to win.

Ms Kiesa said focusing on addressing economic hardship will be key if politicians hope to boost turnout among Gen Z-ers feeling disconnected from politics.

“For the past three elections, turnout among young voters has been historic,” she said. “We need candidates who understand, engage, and speak with them. That’s what has to change.”