National Listening Tour Launches As New Survey Shows 62% of Gen Z Believe the Country is Headed in the Wrong Direction

Washington, DC: Today, When We All Vote announced Pass the Mic, a national, nonpartisan effort to engage hundreds of thousands of young people and amplify the key issues that matter most in the world they want to build. Through a national research survey of 5,500 18–29 year olds conducted with the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life; events across the country; celebrity, influencer and brand partnerships; and more, Pass the Mic will meet Gen Z where they are, rebuild trust in democracy and empower them to take action. Building on findings from the research report, the listening tour will feature Lollapalooza and FIFA sweepstakes, events on college campuses and partnerships with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and brands like Lyft, Experiment and more. 

Gen Z Ambassadors

Pass the Mic is not about talking at Gen Z — it is about authentically listening and connecting them to ways to stay tapped in, educated and engaged. Through Gen Z Ambassadors, Pass the Mic is bringing together influential voices to meet Gen Z where they already are — online, on screens and in community. When We All Vote’s new Ambassador cohort includes a dynamic group of Gen Z and cross-generational leaders, including Marsai Martin, Keith Lee, Serena Page, Olandria Carthen, Nia Sioux, Eni Popoola, Gabby Thomas, Chelley Bissainthe, Miles Robinson, Ari Chambers, Eric Sedeño, Trinitee Stokes and more. Hear from them on the issues they care about most here and here.

National Research Survey

While 40 million members of Gen Z were eligible to vote in 2024, more than 21 million did not cast their ballots. As nearly 50 million Gen Zers will be eligible to vote in 2026, this representative survey of 18–29 year olds aims to better understand how to support and mobilize Gen Z, oversampling young Black and Latino voters whose voices are too often ignored at the ballot box. The full report can be found here. Key findings include:

• Gen Z is engaged and passionate across the political spectrum: Gen Z is not fully represented by the dominant two-party model. While 57% still identify as either a Democrat or a Republican, that leaves 43% without a party affiliation — and 62% believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, including 69% of Latinx respondents. While almost half of respondents are unsure whether their vote matters or do not believe it does, 89% report being willing to vote, 88% are willing to talk to friends and family about issues they care about, 78% will sign petitions, and 57% will protest or boycott. 

• Gen Z’s top issues are the economy, housing and healthcare — with the economy dominating across demographics and political beliefs: Economic concerns lead overwhelmingly and are a unifying concern. 65% of respondents cite cost of living and inflation, followed by healthcare and housing costs. 

• Access to information is a key barrier between what Gen Z cares about and how they show up at the ballot box: Gen Z faces informational barriers connecting their top issues to candidates (28%) and ballot choices (20%). Black young people — who are as likely as all respondents to be willing to turn out and value voting — report more barriers, including information, transportation and registration challenges. 

“What Gen Z says matters, and what they do next matters too. But we know that to reach new voters, we can’t use old tactics. That’s why When We All Vote is flipping the script on how we engage Gen Z by passing them the mic. By amplifying their experiences and then connecting priorities like the economy to what’s on their ballots, we’re meeting Gen Z on their terms in the 2026 midterms and beyond,” said Kalisha Dessources Figures, When We All Vote Senior Advisor. 

“Young people are sending us clear signals, not only of dissatisfaction with our politics and deep economic concerns, but also of a strong desire to take action and drive change. It’s up to all of us to take those messages to heart and work alongside them, turning both their frustrations and their passion into opportunities for engagement that will strengthen our democracy,” said Leela Strong, Newhouse Director of CIRCLE.

Despite frustrations with the status quo, Gen Z is not apathetic and has distinct needs, concerns and critiques of U.S. democracy. The 50 Million: Gen Z’s Power, Priorities and Participation also provides recommendations for how political institutions can better include, inform and mobilize young people, including: engaging Gen Z through their lived experiences, especially on the economy; connecting their priorities to their ballot choices; and building nonpartisan pathways to political engagement.

Listening Tour

Pass the Mic will listen to young voters on their top issues; transform Gen Z civic participation through community building and culturally relevant engagements; and drive action with a follow-up program that connects key issues to voting in the 2026 midterms and beyond. Built for listening, amplification and action, Pass the Mic’s listening tour will feature both in-person and digital moments, as well as key partnerships, including:

• Campus pop-up as part of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Aggie Social Event in Greensboro, NC, in partnership with The Team 
• Activations around the FIFA World Cup across the country, including in Seattle, WA, in partnership with Black Players for Change, and in Philadelphia, PA, on June 19
• A FIFA Sweepstakes where: 
  • One winner will receive two VIP tickets to the Haiti and Brazil game
  • Five winners will receive jerseys signed by Major League Soccer players 
  • Fifteen winners will receive adidas FIFA World Cup 26™ Trionda Competition Balls 
• A Lollapalooza Sweepstakes for two VIP tickets to the four-day music festival in Chicago, IL, that draws more than 100,000 attendees with headliners including Olivia Dean, Tate McRae and Charli XCX 
• Activations at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV, and Fanatics Fest in New York, NY

Pass the Mic seeks to increase civic engagement amongst more than one million young voters over the next five years. More information about Pass the Mic, including full survey data, listening tour events and more can be found at WhenWeallVote.Org/PassTheMic.