LGBTQ+ Gen Z Voters More Likely to See Climate, ICE, and Gaza as Urgent Issues

As the U.S. midterm elections approach, a new survey is shedding light on what’s motivating younger LGBTQ+ voters.According to data from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, gathered online by the research company Verasight, Gen Z voters — defined as being currently between ages 18 and 29 — largely intend to vote in November, with nearly 74% of those surveyed saying they will “definitely” or “likely” fill in a ballot.Perhaps unsurprisingly given the vast policy differences between both major political parties, LGBTQ+ Gen Zers skew bluer than their straight and cisgender counterparts, with over 70% saying they’d vote for a Democratic congressional candidate on a generic ballot, as compared to roughly half of non-LGBTQ+ respondents who’d do the same.Like many voters in this election cycle, LGBTQ+ Gen Z is concerned with healthcare and the rising cost of living, but the Williams Institute also identified some notable heightened priorities. On the issue of climate change, 88.1% of LGBTQ+ Gen Zers said it was “urgent” or “serious” compared to 72.4% of straight and cis people in the age group.Asked about the way Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has operated under the second Donald Trump administration, LGBTQ+ voters were also more likely to say it was “urgent” and “serious” (87.2% versus 68.1%). And on the war in Gaza, LGBTQ+ people in Gen Z were also more likely to rate the issue more seriously (81.8% compared to 67.1%).But some of the largest gaps were on the subject of anti-discrimination legislation (84.6% versus 49.5%) and protections for trans youth healthcare (69.9% versus 52.1%), demonstrating that LGBTQ+ voters are prioritizing their own rights this cycle.The Williams Institute also highlighted the fact that LGBTQ+ Gen Zers said they cared most about a candidate having “shared values” with them than about their age or demographic background.These results matter, as the Williams Institute researchers not