CINCINNATI — As early voting draws close in Ohio, all eyes are on the Generation Z electorate's role in the upcoming election.
A recent national poll conducted by the Institute of Politics (IOP) at the Harvard Kennedy School found that among "likely voters" between the ages of 18 and 29, Vice President Kamala Harris held a 31-point lead over former President Donald Trump.
Known as the Harvard Youth Poll, it shows Harris leading Trump 64% to 32% in a two-way hypothetical scenario. It also found a widening enthusiasm gap among young voters.
About 74% of young Democrats said they would "definitely" vote this election. For young Republicans, that figure is 60%.
"I think objectively Democrats are more excited to vote for Kamala Harris than they were to vote for Joe Biden," said Grant Bagshaw, president of the Hamilton County Young Republicans, also known as the Rising Republicans. "I think what it comes down to in the next few days is which side is going to get their message out the most effectively."
Hamilton County Young Democrats President Storm Boyd said volunteers have coalesced around that spike in enthusiasm since Harris entered the race.
"I see just as much enthusiasm, just as much excitement," he said. "You drive around anywhere — I see a ton of Harris-Walz signs."
We asked two first-time voters for their perspective on the upcoming election, already steeped in history.
"I think it's definitely, I want to say it's unique," said Luca Filigenzi, a sophomore at Xavier University. "Between [the 2016 and 2020 elections], I think there's been an air of mistrust between the people and candidates."
Josh Holman, another Xavier sophomore said he feels "an incredibly powerful duty" to cast his first ballot.
Holman said he will vote for Harris this November, while Filigenzi plans to vote for third-party Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver.
"Now that I'm an active voter, I feel like there's a bit more pressure on who I vote for," Filigenzi said. "I thought I was going to vote for one of the (two main party) candidates. But over time, these last two months, I have shifted."
Holman listed his top three issues this election cycle as follows: addressing gun violence, climate change and preserving democracy.
"I think it was an absolutely necessary switch for the [Democratic] party on an electoral basis," he said. "I think throughout this campaign, both Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, have proven their worthiness."
Filigenzi said his top three priorities were the economy, foreign policy/stability and national security.
"I feel like a lot of middle-class Americans aren't being able to afford groceries the way they used to at least, like, eight years ago," he said.
Aside from the presidential race, young voters' impact could be even more significant in Ohio's Senate race between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger and businessman Bernie Moreno.
"I think there is a significant disconnect between, you know, a lot of younger voters and the importance of voting for down-ballot candidates," Holman said. "I really feel that the Senate election between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno is probably the most consequential election."
Recent research from Tufts University, known as the 2024 Youth Electoral Significance Index, indicates that race is among the most important in the country, ranking it second for potential young voter impact.
"CIRCLE's Youth Electoral Significance Index (YESI) ranks the states and districts where young people across the political spectrum are most likely to shape Presidential, Senate, and House races in 2024," an excerpt from its website stated.
