Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Opinion Today: How these 14 young voters are seeing the election

We checked back in with our focus group of undecided young people.
Opinion Today

September 18, 2024

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By Adrian J. Rivera

Editorial Assistant, Opinion

Times Opinion has conducted nearly 60 focus groups over the last three years. We've spoken with hundreds of Americans of all different ages, races, economic backgrounds and political beliefs about topics as varied as "Yellowstone," the 2022 midterms, being transgender in America and, of course, the 2024 election. In August, we began to do something new: Patrick Healy, the deputy Opinion editor, and Frank Luntz, the longtime pollster, convened a panel of young Americans who said they were undecided between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. But rather than conduct just one focus group with this batch of participants, we decided to meet with them regularly through the general election season, gauging their reaction to moments in the news. The Trump-Harris debate on Sept. 10 was one such moment.

Though the group's 14 participants unanimously agreed that Harris won the debate, only four said they'd vote for her if the election were held today; five said they'd vote for Trump; several participants said they wouldn't be able to decide. "I think Harris is too radical, but Trump continues to concern me between his character, temperament and overall well-being," said McLane, a 25-year-old from Washington, D.C.

Despite their general disdain for both candidates, these young undecided voters offered potential road maps for how Harris and Trump might ultimately persuade them. "I want her to explain all the flip-flopping," said Ben, a 20-year-old from Michigan. "I grew up in California. She was the most liberal U.S. senator. And now she's trying to run as a moderate." Jack, a 22-year-old from New York, said he wanted Trump "to just put aside the B.S. and accept the results of the 2020 election. Move on. Have a forward-looking mind-set."

Though the vibes seem to favor Harris at the moment, our group makes clear that she is having trouble building trust and sealing the deal with voters like them, who, in a race as tight as this one, could make a difference in some swing states that matter most in November.

Read the conversation:

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