New Harvard Youth poll shows Harris rapidly building up support among young voters
WASHINGTON - Vice President Kamala Harris is rapidly building support among young voters, according to a new poll released Tuesday, that could weaken former President Donald Trump’s chances of reclaiming the White House in November.
The Harvard Youth Poll, conducted between Sept. 4 and Sept. 18, found that among likely voters ages 18 to 29, Harris holds a commanding lead of 31 points compared to Trump, 61% to 30%. Seven percent of candidates said they would vote for a third-party candidate or said they didn’t know who they would vote for.
Among registered voters ages 18 to 29, Harris holds a 23-point lead compared to Trump, 52% to 29%. Nineteen percent of candidates said they either didn’t know who they would vote for, refused to answer or chose a third party-candidate.
The findings come as Harris has appealed to young voters through a “Brat Summer” inspired campaign, obtained the endorsements of high-profile celebrities including Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish and generated an active presence on social media platforms like TikTok.
“In just a few weeks, Vice President Harris has drummed up a wave of enthusiasm among young voters. The shift we are seeing toward Harris is seismic, driven largely by young women. Our poll provides a deep dive into the values of this generation that will drive them to the polls in November," said Anil Cacodcar, Chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, in a news release. "Harris is enjoying a perfect storm of personal appeal, policy support, and positive reach on social media."
The poll, conducted among 2,002 young adults nationwide, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.65 percentage points.
Here’s a closer look at the Harvard Youth poll findings.
Breakdown of issues, personality traits of both candidates
The poll found that compared to Trump, young voters hold a more positive view of Harris as a candidate.
When asked what is the first word or phrase that comes to mind when thinking about Harris, 33% of young voters surveyed thought of positive words such as capable or competent, hopeful or joyful and young or breath of fresh air.
In contrast, only 17% of young voters surveyed thought of positive words for Trump, including leadership or strength, capable or competent and patriotic or MAGA (Make America Great Again).
Twenty-eight percent of young voters came up with negative words for Harris, compared to 63% of young voters for Trump.
Harris also holds above a 20-point margin over Trump among all young adults over issues such as abortion, climate change, education, healthcare, gun violence protection and protecting democracy, according to a news release of the Harvard Youth Poll.
"This poll reveals a significant shift in the overall vibe and preferences of young Americans as the campaign heads into the final stretch," said John Della Volpe, IOP Polling Director in the news release. "Vice President Harris has strengthened the Democratic position among young voters, leading Trump on key issues and personal qualities. Gen Z and young millennials' heightened enthusiasm signals a potentially decisive role for the youth vote in 2024."
The figures in the latest poll mark an improvement for Democrats compared to young voters’ support for the party’s top ticket candidate back when President Joe Biden was still in the race. Biden dropped out of the race in late July following a dismal debate performance against Trump.