A new national poll found the country's youngest eligible voters are heading into the 2026 midterm elections burdened by deep economic anxiety and grappling with a growing belief that they are unable to effect change.
The Harvard Youth Poll, conducted among 18- to 29-year-olds by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, concluded that economic pressure is a defining concern for young Americans. It's a sentiment reflected in months of national polls that surveyed voters across age groups, who have similarly identified cost-of-living concerns, economic mobility and inflation as their North Star issues.
Roughly half of young Americans said that they are affected “a lot” by inflation, and 45% said they are struggling to make ends meet. And over the last five years, fewer young Americans believe they will be better off financially than their parents. In 2021, 38% said they expect to be better off than their parents. In the recent spring poll, 29% said that.
Among young voters specifically, the Harvard poll identifies several trends: chief among them a plummeting sense of trust in leadership and existing political systems. These attitudes could have a significant impact on the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, in which voter enthusiasm and turnout, especially among the nation's youngest voters, could potentially turn the tide.
