Young Americans will play a decisive role in the upcoming elections
The political decision taken by young Americans in the next legislative elections will have a greater weight in the result, according to the statistics of early voting for elections that traditionally have attracted a larger, white and masculine electorate.
The anticipated vote, shot in these elections up to 24 million people compared to 12 million in 2014, shows an especially sharp increase among young people, in addition to Latin.
In several states the numbers of advanced suffrage among citizens of 18 to 29 years tripled or quadrupled those registered in 2014, according to the portal TargetSmart, a data company close to the Democratic Party.
Pennsylvania and Nevada, electorally very competitive territories, have increased the anticipated young vote by 411% and 363%, respectively.
A trend that remains, although in less intensity, in Arizona, with 182%, and Florida, with 109%; States in which the polls predict very tight results between the Democratic and Republican candidates.
These elections have focused much attention on traditionally Republican territories that could generate major surprises on Tuesday night.
In Texas, the rate of young voters is five times higher, 503%, than that registered in 2014, in a percentage very similar to that of Georgia, where it has been 476% higher.
This growth of the young and anticipated vote coincides with the study carried out by the Harvard Institute of Politics last October, which revealed that 40% of the voters between 18 and 29 years old would participate "with total security" in the legislative elections.
The United States census indicates that only on two occasions, 1986 and 1994, the young vote exceeded 20%.
In addition, the renewed interest in political participation at a young age is shared between young Democratic voters and Republicans.
Independent voters, usually associated with young profiles and not very active in politics, have also increased their presence in early voting in most states, with percentages higher in many cases than those of the electorate clearly decided by a political option.
Although it is difficult to establish before knowing the results if this tendency will favor one party over another, the Harvard analysis points out that the young vote will agree to the Democrats in the battle for the Congress, since they attract 66% of young people in front of 33% of Republicans.
Social media campaigns, candidates under the age of 30 and even the influence of show stars are some of the factors that have encouraged young people to take an active part in these elections.
More than 25 activist groups led by young people, such as "March For Our Lives" or "National School Walkout", have joined efforts to promote the vote through a joint action called "Future Coalition".
Also profiles in social networks such as "Millenial Politics", with almost 100,000 followers, share articles that encourage young people to "amplify their voice" and participate in the electoral process.
The presence of younger candidates, such as 28-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has been able to attract the millennial electorate with an interest in rejuvenating a Congress whose average age is 58, even if it is less than that of the Senate. years.
Finally, the political significance of artists with a young audience has also been able to increase voter registration, as is the case of Taylor Swift, who after publishing on Instagram his decision to vote for two Democratic candidates in Tennessee encouraged his audience to participate in the elections.
"Maybe we will never find a candidate or a party with whom we can agree 100% on each issue, but we have to vote anyway," Swift wrote, before more than 166,000 people registered in successive days, 42% of them between 18 and 24 years old, to vote last month.
