How Many Americansare Registered Republican?

Apr 23, 2021

A national poll of America's 18-to-29 year olds released today by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School shows that despite the state of our politics, hope for America amidst young people is rising dramatically, especially among people of color. As more young Americans are likely to exist politically engaged than they were a decade ago, they overwhelmingly approve of the job President Biden is doing, favor progressive policies, and have faith in their fellow Americans.

In the March nine-22 survey of ii,513 immature Americans, the Harvard Youth Poll looked at views regarding the Biden assistants's first 100 days, the future of the Republican Political party, mental health, and the impacts of social media.

"Every bit millennials and Gen Z get the largest voting bloc, their values and participation provide hope for the future and too a sense of urgency that our country must address the pressing issues that concern them," said Mark Gearan '78, Director, Plant of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School.

"What we see in this year'due south Harvard Youth Poll is how slap-up the power of politics really is," said John Della Volpe, the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. "With a new president and the temperature of politics turned down after the ballot, young Americans are more hopeful, more politically active, and they have more faith in their beau Americans."

"Despite the increase in partisanship we've seen out of politicians and politics, our generation has an optimistic trust in ourselves and in each other," said Jing-Jing Shen '23, Student Chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project (HPOP). "These results speak to the resilient and confident character of young people. Despite personal worries, racial unrest, a polarizing climate and disillusionment with politicians, government, and large tech, we're notwithstanding hopeful, and we want to actively create a better time to come for our country."

Top findings of this survey, the 41st in a biannual series, include the following:

Harvard Youth Poll: Youth turn out and political involvement exceed 2016 levels and approach/may exceed 2008 levels

1. Despite the country of our politics, promise for America is rising (especially among people of color), then is youth's religion in their beau Americans

In the fall of 2017, only 31% of young Americans said they were hopeful most the hereafter of America; 67% were fearful. Most four years later, nosotros observe that 56% take hope. While the hopefulness of young whites has increased 11 points, from 35% to 46% -- the changes in attitudes among young people of color are striking. Whereas merely 18% of young Blacks had promise in 2017, today 72% are hopeful (+54). In 2017, 29% of Hispanics called themselves hopeful, today that number is 69% (+40).

By a margin of nearly three-to-one, nosotros establish that youth agreed with the sentiment, "Americans with unlike political views from me still want what's all-time for the country" -- in full, l% agreed, 18% disagreed, and 31% were recorded as neutral. In a hopeful sign, no significant departure was recorded between Democrats (53% concord, xviii% disagree) and Republicans (52% agree, 20% disagree).

Harvard Youth Poll: Biden's advantage has increased slightly since September

two. Young Americans are significantly more likely to be politically engaged than they were a decade ago; a sharp increase in progressive political values marked since 2016

Less than one yr afterwards Barack Obama's election, 24% of immature Americans considered themselves to be politically active (fall 2009 poll). Twelve years later on, we notice the share of politically active Americans increased by half — and now 36% are politically agile. The most politically agile amidst this accomplice are young Blacks (41% politically active).

Over the last five years, on a host of problems ranging from health intendance, to climate, clearing, poverty, and affirmative action--young Americans are increasingly more likely to favor authorities intervention. For example, we constitute:

A 19-point increase in agreement with the statement "Qualified minorities should be given special preferences in hiring and education" (at present 33%).
An 18-point increase in understanding with the statement "Government should do more to adjourn climatic change, even at the expense of economical growth" (now 55%).
A xvi-betoken increase since 2016 in agreement with "The government should spend more to reduce poverty" (now 61%).
A 16-point increase in "Basic wellness insurance is a right for all people, and if someone has no means of paying for information technology, the government should provide it" (at present 64%).
An 8-point increase in agreement with "Recent immigration into this country has done more than good than harm (now 37%).

Harvard Youth Poll: Biden's favorability has increased since Spring 2020

three. L-nine percent (59%) of 18-to-29-year-old Americans approve of President Biden'south chore performance overall; 65% approve of his handling of the coronavirus and 57% race relations

President Biden'south highest approval marks come up from immature people of color (Blacks 77%, Hispanics lxx%), college students (61%), and higher graduates (67%). Females (61%) are more likely than males (57%) to approve of his chore performance, as are young registered voters (61%) compared to the one-in-v in our poll who report that they are unregistered (55%). Among college voters, Biden's 63% approval is the highest recorded in the 21-year history of the IOP survey (Bush 61% in 2003, Obama 57% in 2016).

President Biden's highest marks come from his handling of the coronavirus (65% approval), 58% approve of his handling of climate change and education, 57% race relations, 56% health care, 55% mental health, 53% the economy, and 52% national security.

In the spring 2020 release that was conducted in mid-March as the primary contest was winding down, only one-3rd (34%) of immature Americans held a favorable view of President Biden; today, 54% concur a favorable view. Among young Democrats, Biden enjoys an 85% favorability mark (+31 compared to jump 2020), which compares favorably to youth-favorite Senator Bernie Sanders (75% favorable).

Harvard Youth Poll: Voting Methods: Key Demographics

4. Forty pct of immature Americans look their lives to be better every bit a upshot of the Biden administration; many more than feel a part of Biden's America than Trump's

By a margin of 2:one, young Americans expect their lives to become better (twoscore%) under the Biden administration, rather than worse (xix%); 25% tell u.s.a. that they don't expect much of a difference. We found significant differences based on race and ethnicity.

Whites: 30% ameliorate, 28% worse (cyberspace meliorate: +two)
Blacks: 54% better, four% worse (net improve: +fifty)
Hispanics: 51% amend, 10% worse (net better: +41)

Twoscore-six per centum (46%) of young Americans agreed that they "experience included in Biden'due south America," 24% disagreed (28% expressed a neutral position). With the exception of immature people living in rural America, at least a plurality indicated they felt included. This stands in dissimilarity to "Trump's America." Forty-eight percent (48%) reported that they did not feel included in Trump'southward America, while 27% indicated that they felt included (24% neutral). The just major subgroup where a plurality or more felt included in Trump's America were rural Americans.

39% of Whites feel included in Biden's America, 32% do not (+7); 35% of Whites experience included in Trump's America, 41% do not (-6).
61% of Blacks feel included in Biden's America, 13% do not (+48); 16% of Blacks experience included in Trump'southward America, 60% do non (-44).
51% of Hispanics feel included in Biden's America, 12% do not (+39); 17% of Hispanics feel included in Trump'due south America, 55% do not (-38).

Harvard Youth Poll: Young Black voters report lower confidence in the election

5. More than than half of young Americans are going through an extended period of feeling "downwards, depressed or hopeless" in recent weeks; 28% have had thoughts that they would exist amend off dead, or of hurting themself in some way

Fifty-one percentage of young Americans say that at least several days in the terminal two weeks they take felt down, depressed, or hopeless--19% say they feel this way more than one-half of the time. In add-on, 68% take little free energy, 59% say they take trouble with slumber, 52% notice little pleasance in doing things. 49% have a poor ambition or are over-eating, 48% cite trouble concentrating, 32% are moving then slowly, or are fidgety to the point that others notice -- and 28% have had thoughts of self-impairment

Among those most probable to experience bouts of astringent low triggering thoughts that they would exist amend off dead or hurting themself are young people of colour (35% Black, 31% Hispanic), whites without a college experience (31%), rural Americans (34%), and young Americans not registered to vote (38%).

In the last two weeks, 53% of college students have said that their mental health has been negatively impacted by school or work-related issues; overall 34% accept been negatively impacted past the coronavirus, 29% self-image, 29% personal relationships, 28% social isolation, 25% economical concerns, 22% health concerns--and 21% politics (no partisan dissever).

Harvard Youth Poll: Fewer Biden supporters believe that their candidate will ultimately win the election

half-dozen. Virtually a third of young Americans say that politics has gotten in the manner of a friendship; differences of stance on race-related issues well-nigh likely to cause rifts

Xxx-1 percent of young Americans, just 37% of young Biden voters and 32% of young Trump voters say that politics has gotten in the way of a friendship earlier. Gender is not a strong predictor of whether or non politics has invaded personal space, but race and ethnicity are. Young whites (33%) are more likely than immature Blacks (22%) to say that politics has gotten in the way--and nearly half of white Biden voters (45%) say politics has negatively impacted a friendship; xxx% of white Trump voters say the aforementioned.

When young Americans were asked whether a difference of opinion on several political issues might impact a friendship, 44% of all young Americans said that they could not be friends with someone who disagreed with them on race relations. Sixty per centum of Biden voters agreed with this sentiment, as did a majority of women (52%) and Blacks (57%). Americans between 18 and 24 (47%) were more probable than those slightly older (41% of those 25-29) to feel that race relations would crusade a trouble with friendships. Differences of opinion on whether or not to back up Trump was an upshot for slightly more a third (34%), followed by immigration (30%), police reform (27%), abortion (26%), climate change (26%), and guns (19%).

Harvard Youth Poll: Where Young Republicans and Democrats Agree on Action

7. With partisanship rising, three-quarters of American youth--including 85% of Biden voters and 73% of Trump voters--hold we need more "open up-mindedness" in politics

Over the concluding decade, the number of immature Americans who see politics as partisan, and politicians as selfish, has risen sharply. Seventy-half-dozen percent of youth (83% Democrats, 70% Republicans) agreed with the argument, "We need more open-mindedness in politics," only 4% disagreed.

68% (66% Democrats, 73% Republicans) agreed with the statement, "Elected officials seem to be motivated by selfish reasons." This marks a fourteen-signal increase since 2010.
56% (57% Democrats, 59% Republicans) agreed with the statement, "Politics has become too partisan" -- a 10-betoken increase since 2010.

Harvard Youth Poll: Overwhelming support across racial demographics for the government to address racism

8. More than three-in-iv immature Americans have picayune trust in Facebook or Twitter to do the right matter; nigh half of young Americans believe the U.S. government should further regulate large tech

Facebook ranked as the least trustworthy of 16 institutions tested in the survey. Thirty-nine pct of young Americans indicated that they never trust Facebook (an additional 39% written report they trust them to do the right thing only some of the time). Similarly, 38% indicated that they never trust Wall Street, 35% never trust Twitter, and 32% never trust the media. A quarter reported never trusting Amazon.

30-five pct of immature Americans believe that social media has had a negative impact on both their mental health and American democracy. Less than a quarter say that social media's affect has been positive, on either account.

Virtually 3-in-five immature (58%) Americans believe that political leaders should be held to stricter standards than ordinary citizens on social media. While Democrats (71%) are more likely to favor stricter standards, a majority of independent or unaffiliated immature Americans also agree, as exercise 46% of Republicans. On a similar annotation, a majority (52%) believed that Twitter's ban of Donald Trump was necessary.

Harvard Youth Poll: Young Americans have mixed views on government regulation

9. Two-thirds of youth, merely but 26% of young Republicans, believe that Joe Biden won the election fairly

Overall, 68% of young Americans believe that Joe Biden won the election adequately, while a quarter say that there were enough problems with the election to question whether Joe Biden won--and 7% believe that Donald Trump won the election. Unsurprisingly, there are deep partisan divides; Republicans are divided by level of education and geography.

Twenty per centum of Republicans believe that Trump won the ballot against Joe Biden, but amongst those who do non nourish higher and practise not take a degree, the number jumps to 26%. More a third (35%) of young Republicans residing in rural America believe Trump won in November--only 11% of this grouping believes that Biden won fairly.

Ane-third of immature Republicans say that Trump was fully (ix%) or partially (24%) responsible for inciting the breach and storming of the Capitol on Jan 6th, 2021; 88% of Democrats and 64% of independents say the same.

10. A plurality believe history will judge Trump as a "the worst president e'er;" less than a quarter of young Americans desire Trump to play a fundamental part in the future of Republican politics; immature Republicans are divided

Thirty percent of young Americans believe that history will estimate Donald Trump as "the worst president ever." Overall, 26% give the 45th president positive marks (all-time, corking, good), while 54% give Trump negative marks (bad, terrible, worst); 11% believe he volition go down as an boilerplate president.

20-two per centum of immature Americans surveyed agree with the statement, "I want Donald Trump to play a key function in the time to come of Republican politics," 58% disagreed, and xix% neither agreed nor disagreed. Among young Republicans, 56% agreed while 22% disagreed, and 21% were neutral. Only 61% of those who voted for Trump in the 2020 general indicated their want for him to remain active in the GOP.

If they "had to choose," 42% of young Republicans consider themselves supporters of the Republican party, and not Donald Trump. A quarter (25%) indicated they are Trump supporters kickoff, 24% said they back up both.

See a detailed information visualization of the results