In a recent survey conducted by Change Research and shared exclusively with Teen Vogue, it was revealed that young women, transgender individuals, and nonbinary individuals tend to align more with left-leaning political ideologies compared to their young male counterparts.
In the lead-up to the impending 2024 presidential election, the survey delved into the perspectives of young voters aged 18 to 34, shedding light on their preferences and concerns.
The study sought answers to the question: If the election were to occur today, whom would they cast their ballots for?
President Joe Biden emerged as the unequivocal choice among young women voters, garnering 65% of their support. Another 25% of women expressed their intention to vote for former President Donald Trump.
In contrast, the landscape among young male voters appeared more evenly divided. Within this demographic, 43% signaled their inclination to support Biden in a hypothetical election today, while a closely competitive 41% voiced their intent to vote for Trump.
A significant majority, approximately 64%, of female respondents expressed alignment with progressive or liberal ideologies, according to the findings. In contrast, 13% identified as moderate, and 11% identified as conservative. Among transgender and nonbinary voters, an overwhelming three-quarters identified themselves as progressive. At the same time, 11% leaned towards liberalism, and 7% did not associate with any specific ideological label, as reported by The Hill.
On the other end of the spectrum, male respondents in the survey demonstrated a notable inclination toward right-leaning ideologies. More precisely, 13% of surveyed men proclaimed themselves as adherents of libertarianism, with an additional 18% aligning with conservative viewpoints. 11% of male respondents associated themselves with the term "MAGA Republicans," a moniker originating from Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign.
In contrast to the predominantly right-leaning tendencies among male participants, 24% of men identified as progressive, showcasing a diverse range of political perspectives within this demographic. Additionally, 15% leaned towards liberalism, further underscoring the spectrum of ideological diversity among male survey respondents.
In the survey's breakdown, 64% of female respondents embraced progressive or liberal viewpoints, reflecting a left-leaning trend among this group. A smaller proportion, at 13%, identified themselves as moderates, while 11% aligned with conservative ideologies, according to the findings.
When examining transgender and nonbinary voters, three-quarters expressed allegiance to progressive ideologies. Moreover, 11% leaned towards liberalism, and 7% indicated that they did not align with any political identity, as detailed in the Change Research survey.
These poll results align with broader survey trends indicating a leftward shift among young women compared to young men.
In the previous year, Gallup Poll data, analyzed by the Survey Center on American Life, revealed that 44% of young women self-identified as liberals, corroborating the political inclinations among this demographic.
Experts have attributed this notable trend to a constellation of factors encompassing both political and societal realms, which include the influential #MeToo movement and the contentious terrain of abortion policy. Data released in the preceding year underscored the significance of these issues, indicating that 61% of young women perceive abortion as a pivotal concern, in stark contrast to the 36% figure representing the entirety of the American populace, the Hill reported.
The shift among young people reveals a reduced affinity for political party affiliations as an increasing number of young voters manifest a growing skepticism toward the entrenched party establishment. This evolving sentiment reflects the dynamism and complexity characterizing the political landscape among the youth demographic.
The survey encompassed input from 1,033 registered voters. It was carried out over the period spanning Aug. 25 to Sept. 1. Among the respondents, 43% identified as male, 45% as female, 5% as transgender, 6% as nonbinary or gender nonconforming, and 1% identified with other gender identities, with a margin of error of 3.4%.