The Millennials are coming

Catawba College Political Science professor Michael Bitzer has another good analysis of voter registration trends in North Carolina. This time, he notes that Millennials and Generation Z now make up the largest block of registered voters in the state. That said, they’re still not the major voting force in the state.

A few things come to mind. First, registered voters are not the same as likely voters. Likely voters tend to be older. They’re people who find themselves with more obligations and responsibilities, like kids, mortgages, aging parents, college loans, etc. So looking at Bitzer’s numbers, the combination of Baby Boomers and Gen X is driving the electorate.

Second, we’re heading for a shift that will benefit Democrats, but it won’t happen quickly. Somewhere between the Baby Boomers and Gen X, loyalty to party began to break down. Seventy-six percent of boomers still register by party, but only 69% of Gen Xers do. By the time Millennials come into play, a plurality, 40%, register unaffiliated.

The younger voters disproportionately abandon the GOP. From Gen X to Millennials, Democratic registration dropped from 37% to 35%, but Republican registration plummeted 8% from 32% to 24%. Election results indicate that the Millennials who register unaffiliated heavily favor Democrats. They just don’t vote as much.

Read more: https://www.politicsnc.com/the-millennials-are-coming/