The world's election youthquake

Young voters are poised to play a pivotal role in upcoming elections and are re-writing the rules of political engagement. Candidates ignore them at their peril

Young voters armed with a cell phone were Pakistan’s biggest fear credit: Tribune Express

Amidst this year's vote-o-rama, where an unprecedented 4.2 billion people—half the world's population—are eligible to vote in 70 countries, a vibrant and unyielding force is making its presence felt: the youth.

On Friday Iran will hold elections for the Majlis (parliament) and the Assembly of Experts, the Iranian body tasked with appointing or dismissing the country’s Supreme Leader. It’s Iran’s first election since the bloody crackdown on the 2022 nationwide protests that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

In essence, the elections are precooked, with candidates vetted by the Guardian Council, either appointed by the supreme leader himself or hardliners in the parliament. Yet, facing internet blackouts, young people found innovative ways to voice dissent.

Long underestimated by political strategists as "flaky and unreliable," young voters are proving to be anything but. Their digital literacy and acute awareness of global crises position them as a potent force, rewriting the rules of political engagement. This isn't your grandparents' political revolution; it's a global youthquake, with tremors being felt from Islamabad's bustling streets to the quiet suburbs of Indiana, shaking the foundations of the old guard's citadels with the force of a thousand memes.

This youthquake is a mosaic of movements, each with its unique hue but united in their quest for change. Armed with smartphones and sharp wit, young voters are leveraging their digital literacy to amplify their voices and organize for action, becoming decisive factors in shaping election outcomes and signaling a profound transformation in political engagement, leadership accountability and how democracy functions in the 21st century.

Katie Harbath, who managed elections as Facebook’s former director of public policy and now writes the Substack “Anchor Change,” about elections and the intersection between democracy and technology that historically, most young voters have not been interested in participating in politics and civil society.

“For older generations, their civic duty was to vote,” she tells me “Now, young people are much more issue-driven than attached to a candidate or party.”

Social media has emerged as a critical tool for young voters, enabling them to organize, advocate, and hold leaders accountable. It's both a stage and a sword, cutting through traditional political narratives.

Indonesia's youth, making up over half the electorate, weren't just passive recipients of political messaging but active participants, leveraging platforms like TikTok to voice their concerns and aspirations and mobilizing online.

In Taiwan, the election of Lai Ching-te as president, backed by the youth vote, represents a commitment to democratic values and a strong statement against Beijing’s relentless disinformation campaigns and attempts to sway public opinions, further showcasing the youth's capacity to influence national policy directions.

Even in the West, where democracy is deeply entrenched, young people have been challenging the status quo. In Poland’s last election, 68.8% of voters aged under 29 turned out, helping to force the right-wing Law and Justice party, or PiS, from power and end its eight-year divisive, populist rule to elect a broad centrist coalition.

Globally, young people are not just participating in existing political frameworks; they're creating their own.

In Nigeria, the largest country in Africa with 93 million registered voters, almost 40% of its population is under the age of 35. Last year, frustrated by high unemployment and worsening violence, the youth-led "Not Too Young To Run" movement saw young Nigerians actively seeking representation and running for office, reflecting a broader trend of young people demanding more than just a seat at the table—they're building their own table, thank you very much. Young populations in other African countries may soon be inspired to mobilize in their upcoming elections as well.

Back in the U.S., the political landscape is undergoing its own seismic shifts, with Gen Z—a generation disillusioned with the status quo yet unswayed by divisive rhetoric—at the epicenter. A Harvard Youth Poll estimated that 27% of youth, ages 18-29, cast a ballot in 2022, making it the second-highest youth voter turnout for a midterm election in thirty years.

The values of politicians, not their slogan or campaign route, are what interests these young voters. Climate change, social justice, economic inequality—these aren't just buzzwords; they're the battle cries of a generation ready to hold their leaders accountable.

This digital landscape has transformed political engagement, allowing young voters to bypass traditional media and connect directly with their peers and political leaders. Scroll through TikTok, and within minutes, your feed is full of young people talking about international crises. Beneath the surface of viral videos lies a deeper yearning for substantive change on issues like climate change, social justice, foreign, and economic policy.

Rachel Janfaza, a popular freelance journalist on Gen Z issues who writes the Substack “Up and Up,” says social media has heightened the sheer scale of everything, with young people growing up with real-time alerts about “once in a lifetime” events.

“We're being inundated with information and seeing our peers' reactions while it's happening. This sense of urgency has totally shifted the way that young people are participating in and thinking about politics,” she tells me. “When we see a crisis, such as massive flooding or a mass shooting, there is no time to wait. Are young people just supposed to sit around and wait for their life to be ruined, or are they going to take action?”

In this brave new world, politicians are learning that engaging with young voters requires more than just lip service. It demands genuine connection, policies that address their existential anxieties, and perhaps most importantly, a good sense of humor. After all, in an era where a well-crafted meme can dismantle political careers or elevate obscure candidates to viral fame, the youth are not just passive consumers of political theater—they're the directors, producers, and critics, all rolled into one.

In Pakistan, Imran Khan's anti-corruption crusade and social media savvy offered a masterclass in youth engagement, leveraging social media not as a mere megaphone but as a dialogue platform and showcasing the power of aligning political messages with the youth's aspirations for transparency and accountability.

Not so much, Janfaza notes, for "Dark Brandon," President Biden's attempt to meme his way into the hearts of young voters on TikTok. It's a digital high-wire act, balancing between being relatable and being presidential, all while avoiding the dreaded "How do you do, fellow kids?" vibe.

Biden could take a page from Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, set to become Indonesia’s next president. The former military general, accused in the past of serious human rights violations, wooed young Indonesian voters in February’s election with a major rebranding presenting him as a soft-speaking grandpa-like figure, who can dance jovially on stage, while also addressing the economic issues important to voters—particularly social welfare and unemployment.

In places where the establishment is deeply entrenched, change is likely to come slower. Although millions of young Pakistanis voted for candidates backed by Imran Khan, his party, the Movement for Justice (known as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI), was unable to secure an absolute majority in parliament, and Khan himself remains in jail on corruption charges his supporters dismiss as political persecution.

In India, amidst widespread discontent over inflation and unemployment, the youth are poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming elections, signaling their growing influence in shaping economic reforms. Still, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP is on track for a third term.

But the undercurrents of youth unrest and demand for reforms cannot be ignored. A pre-2024 election youth survey conducted by Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a non-partisan, independent research organization focused on youth civic engagement, found 41 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote in 2024, and 8 million of those Gen Zers turned 18 since the past election.

“Together with the youngest Millennials, young people ages 18-34 are poised to be a potential force in the next presidential election,” the report said. The unspoken message to candidates: ignore them at your peril.

Politicians worldwide must recognize that engaging with the youth is not just about securing votes; it's about investing in the architects of the future. This young generation is laying the foundation for a new era of governance, driven by authenticity, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of change. This isn’t a short-term political phenomenon; it's a cultural revolution, one that promises to shake up the status quo with a mix of digital savvy, irreverent humor, and a dash of hope.