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The nation’s youngest voters are heading into the 2026 midterm elections with deep economic insecurity and grappling with a growing belief that they can’t make a difference, according to a new national poll.
The Harvard Youth Poll, conducted by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics among 18- to 29-year-olds, concluded that economic pressures are a critical concern for young Americans. It’s a sentiment reflected in months of national polling of voters of all ages, who similarly cite cost-of-living concerns, economic mobility and inflation as north star issues.
Roughly half of young Americans say they are being “significantly” affected by inflation, and 45% say they are struggling to make ends meet. And over the past five years, fewer young Americans consider themselves better off financially than their parents. In 2021, 38% said they expected to be wealthier than their parents. In a recent spring poll, 29% said so.
The Harvard University poll reveals several trends, especially among younger voters. The main trend is a sharp decline in confidence in leadership and the existing political system. These attitudes could have a significant impact on the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, where voter enthusiasm and turnout, especially among the nation’s youngest voters, could turn the tide.
The poll surveyed 2,018 young Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 nationwide from March 26 to April 3. The margin of error is ±2.74 percentage points.
Growing distrust of government, plummeting hope
The majority of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have a negative view of the current state of the country and the current government.
Less than a third of young Americans (26%) say they feel hopeful about the country’s future. This marked a 29-point drop since the 2021 Harvard Youth Poll question. At the time, 55% said they were hopeful for the country’s future. The collapse of hope transcends party lines.
Only 13% of young people say the United States is heading in the right direction, while 59% say it’s on the wrong path. About a quarter, 26%, remain unsure. That answer has remained unchanged since the fall 2025 youth poll.
Attitudes among young voters are bleaker than a recent NBC News Decision Desk poll released April 19. The poll found that about a third of voters, regardless of age, think the country is “on the right track.” Just over two-thirds of respondents in the NBC poll, or 67%, said the U.S. is on the wrong path.
As for President Donald Trump, his approval rating among young voters remains low at 25%. This is significantly lower than the president’s average rating calculated by the New York Times (38% approval rating, 58% disapproval rating as of April 22). That rating has plummeted in recent days, dropping to 36%, its lowest level since President Trump returned to the White House, according to an April 21 Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Polls among young people show dissatisfaction and distrust extend beyond the Oval Office.
Only 15% of young Americans say they trust the federal government to do the right thing all or most of the time. This is the lowest level recorded by the Harvard Youth Poll in 26 years. More than two-thirds (68%) say elected officials are motivated by self-interest, with the proportion strongly agreeing with that statement increasing from 26% in 2017 to 39% in the spring survey.
Only 33% of young voters said they believed the 2026 election would be held fairly. A further 43% are not sure and 21% are unsure, highlighting deep uncertainty as the country races towards the 2026 midterm elections in November.
Young voters support Democrats, but turnout remains a key issue
Like a separate youth survey from Yale University last week, the Harvard University study also found that young voters support the Democratic Party.
In the popular vote, the party leads among young registered voters, 45% to 26%.
Young voters who identify as Democrats say they are more likely than Republicans to vote in the November election, with 55% of Democrats saying they plan to vote compared to 35% of Republicans. Among independents, 25% said they would vote.
But polls show that enthusiasm among young voters has waned. Only 12% said they felt motivated and prepared to participate in elections. Higher shares represent more limited attitudes, with 26% of young Democrats and 30% of young independents expressing that they feel completely cynical about the political system. Among young Republicans, 25% said they were paying attention but not actively involved.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
