RALEIGH, N.C. – As November’s election approaches, a pivotal group of voters is emerging: Generation Z.
According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), over 40 million Gen Z voters will be eligible to cast ballots this year. This represents nearly one-fifth of the electorate, highlighting the influence this generation could wield. Gen Z is loosely defined as the generation born between 1997 and 2012.
In order to rally support for candidates, younger people on both sides of the political aisle have emerged to encourage voters to support their candidates of choice in the gubernatorial election this November.
Democratic governor candidate Attorney General Josh Stein launched a group called Students for Stein at UNC-Chapel Hill in January. The group is focusing on recruiting fellow college students to support Stein over his Republican challenger, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.
Young Republicans including the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans and the North Carolina Teenage Republicans have also organized to support Robinson and other conservative candidates this fall.
Youthan Love, the chair of the college Republicans group, believes young voters should spend time learning about all the candidates, regardless of their political affiliation.
“It's very important for college students and high school students to get educated on how their voice impacts local government and elections,” Love said. “One big thing that I've been doing, along with my fellow executive board members, is we're encouraging our friends to go vote this November, but also take a friend or two with them and make sure that they vote as well.”
Cecelia Durlon, a member of Students for Stein and UNC’s Young Democrats chapter, says she does not take the opportunity to get involved in politics for granted, due to her upbringing.
“I'm originally from Venezuela in South America, which is a dictatorship," Durlon said. "And when I moved to the United States, I was absolutely fascinated with people being able to say their opinions, what they think, and criticize people that are in power, and I think it's a privilege and an honor to be politically involved."
From her perspective, it’s an easy choice for who should be the next governor of North Carolina.
“A lot of issues that are important for college students like gun violence, reproductive justice, climate change, those are all things that Josh Stein agrees with us on," she said. "So I feel like he was the best gubernatorial candidate.”
Both Love and his friend and colleague, Teenage Republicans President Caleb Edenburn, emphatically support Robinson for governor.
“I think he's [Mark Robinson] a great candidate statewide for North Carolina. You know, we've seen the work that he's done serving as lieutenant governor over the last four years, and that was his first run for political office,” Love said. “So I think that someone that has that much energy is truly fit to serve as our next governor and will do a lot of great things for everyone from the coast to the mountains of North Carolina.”
Edenburn agreed. “[Mark Robinson] is a fantastic candidate. But aside from being a fantastic candidate and a fantastic public servant… he's a fantastic man," he said. "I've had the privilege of meeting him on several different occasions, and each time he's just the most personable, kind human being ever. And his wife, Mrs. Robinson, she's also phenomenal.”
As November nears, each group is working to inspire other young voters to get involved in the political process, which could prove to be a game changer in this year’s election.
The key question is whether they will turn out to vote. In 2020, about 50% of eligible young voters participated — a marked increase from the 2016 election but still short of the turnout desired by both major political parties.