Millennials keep us guessing at the polls

Posted On December 18, 2014

Harvard shocked the pollsters a week before the election with its report that Millennials favored the GOP. And then the Millennials went out and voted Democrat—at least 55% of them did. While still a majority, that represents a significant shift from 2012. Are Millennials becoming more conservative as they age? And if so, is that consistent across fiscal and social positions? One election is too soon to tell.

I will admit the poll results surprised me. Millennials have always had a very strong sense of social justice, which has greatly influenced their politics. On the other hand, from a financial perspective Millennials have been hit hard by the recession. They have unprecedented levels of student debt and greater difficulty finding jobs in the careers they are hoping will help pay off that debt.

It will be interesting to see if this trend continues or if this generation reconnects with its more liberal social politics.

Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Voting Behavior