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America's youngest voters become major election liars
Axios ^ | October 30, 2024 | Margaret Talev

Posted on 10/30/2024 6:52:19 AM PDT by Red Badger

Half of Gen Z voters — and 1 in 4 U.S. voters overall — have lied to people close to them about who they're voting for, according to the latest Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.

Why it matters:

Voters 18-27 who came of age during the hyper-polarized Trump era appear to be among the most sensitive to perceived pressure and judgment from friends or loved ones.

"There's a new privacy emerging here, where it's far more convenient to either lie or not talk about it," said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, which is not affiliated with Vice President Harris' campaign.

"The new social etiquette is to be like Switzerland: Why do you want that heat?"

Overall, 33% of survey respondents said they aren't close to some family members because of differing political beliefs. That jumps to 44% of Gen Zs and 47% of Millennials, ages 28-43. By the numbers: 58% of overall voters surveyed say who they're voting for is a private matter.

23% said they've lied about it to someone close to them, and 22% said they potentially would lie. 48% of Gen Z voters said they've lied to someone close to them about who they've voted for, followed by millennials (38%), Gen Xers (17%) and Boomers and older (6%). Voters across the political spectrum said they've lied about their voting: 27% of Democrats acknowledged it, while 24% of Republicans and 20% of independents did so. The survey didn't ask exactly how, why or to whom they'd lied.

Zoom in: Gerzema says the survey captures two concurrent trends.

Polarization has become so toxic that many Americans are self-censoring or lying to preserve workplace, social and familial relationships, while bracing for the possibility of post-election unrest worse than Jan. 6, 2021.

Younger Americans raised on smartphones tend to be more conflict-averse in both political interactions and daily settings such as work. They'd generally prefer to minimize in-person interactions with a digital mindset of, "I'd rather do it through the app." So they may rather lie about how they vote than risk a confrontation or awkward interaction.

Between the lines: The findings raise big questions about the limits and future of polling, which relies on voters giving responses reflecting their real-life political behavior.

Polls suggest that this election has become defined by a historic gender gap, with most men favoring Trump and a majority of women backing Harris. Pro-Harris groups have made a major push to remind women that their ballot is private and that they don't have to support former President Trump even if other family members do. The other side: In the Vibes survey, men (30%) were nearly twice as likely to say they lied about how they voted as women (17%).

That could suggest some men are silent Trump backers — or secretly support Harris — while lying to men in their families or social circles who expect them to back Trump.

The big picture: Less than a week from the election, the economy/inflation/wages is still the top category on which voters say they choose candidates. That outranks abortion/reproductive rights about 2 to 1, with border/immigration the third-biggest concern.

Economic issues heavily outranked abortion among men (57% to 21%), women (53-28), Republicans (55-13) and Democrats (55-33).

Given the option to identify their two top issues at stake, Democrats said women's/abortion rights (49%), followed by the economy/inflation (42%). Protecting democracy followed (33%).

Republicans prioritized two issues: the economy/inflation (64%) and border/immigration (55%). Independent voters cited the economy/inflation (53%), women's/abortion rights (35%) and border/immigration (31%).

What we're watching: 40% of voters said they planned to wait until Election Day to vote, just in case something changes — with another 8% saying it will probably be a "gut decision" in the voting booth.

Black voters (50%) and Gen Z voters (48%) were most likely to say they're concerned there will be voter intimidation at their local polls.

Methodology: The findings in this Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll are based on a nationally representative sample of 2,129 U.S. adults conducted online Oct. 22-24, 2024, among which 1,858 identified were registered voters.

The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the data for the overall population is accurate to within +/- 2.4 percentage points using a 95% confidence level, and +/- 2.6 percentage points for respondents within the registered voters.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: adios; axios; axiosvibes; economics; economy; illegslimmigration; immigration; itstheeconomystupid; margarettalev; mediawingofthednc; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills

1 posted on 10/30/2024 6:52:19 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

In dealing with insanely idiotic liberal Karens, it’s easier to say “i support Kennedy, Make America Healthy Again “. IYKYK or say nothing.


2 posted on 10/30/2024 6:59:16 AM PDT by drSteve78 ( Older Je suis Deplorable. Even more so)
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To: Red Badger

After a couple of generations being taught variations of the situational ethics morality and of being taught weakness, lying doesn’t seem to be an issue much anymore with a large portion of people, they see it as dealing with the task at hand, of dealing with the moment.


3 posted on 10/30/2024 7:03:20 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Red Badger
The other side: In the Vibes survey, men (30%) were nearly twice as likely to say they lied about how they voted as women (17%). That could suggest some men are silent Trump backers — or secretly support Harris — while lying to men in their families or social circles who expect them to back Trump.

It's more likely that the men were worried about workplace retaliation for supporting Trump, than they were worried about family members retaliating for supporting Harris. It's not Republicans telling their voters to suppress people in the other party. The Dims are the only ones doing that.

4 posted on 10/30/2024 7:03:26 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: Red Badger

After Biden was illegally bounced from the campaign he gave up trying to erase student loans which was the younger crowd’s top priority.


5 posted on 10/30/2024 7:05:23 AM PDT by CodeToad (Rule #1: The elites want you dead.)
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To: Red Badger

Gee, I’m shocked.

From 2021-now, social media colluded with the govt to censor Covid commentary, people were yelled at for not masking up or getting jabbed, people got fired for not getting the shots, and the friggin Admin thru OSHA tried to enact a vaxx mandate (with a test-out option likely on the employee’s dime) that was struck down.

These kids aren’t stupid. I hope all pollsters learn to code. Oh wait…


6 posted on 10/30/2024 7:07:30 AM PDT by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s² )
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To: Red Badger

Oh there’s an election? When is it? Interesting. :)


7 posted on 10/30/2024 7:07:35 AM PDT by xp38
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To: Red Badger

It’s not really lying.
It’s just not your business.


8 posted on 10/30/2024 7:08:52 AM PDT by Samurai_Jack (This is not about hypocrisy, this is about hierarchy!)
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To: ansel12
yup

the telephone game

the lifeboat game

i saw it in my 9th grade ‘ english’ class.

9 posted on 10/30/2024 7:09:24 AM PDT by cuz1961 (notcho sigline)
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To: Red Badger

My daughter is in a very selective (top 10 for business) college. (It’s free.) She is very much a Trump supporter.

She has to lie and hide. In her business classes the kids are overwhelmingly conservative, but none dare speak it aloud in class or not among close friends.

People who are open about conservative beliefs get false claims made about them and they end up either being kicked out of school or wish they had been.


10 posted on 10/30/2024 7:28:49 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown in)
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To: TheThirdRuffian

Just remember: AOC has a degree in economics..................


11 posted on 10/30/2024 7:33:18 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Tell It Right

Yep. Or retaliation in school.


12 posted on 10/30/2024 7:34:09 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: Red Badger

Setting up the steal.


13 posted on 10/30/2024 7:34:11 AM PDT by VTenigma (Conspiracy theory is the new "spoiler alert")
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To: VTenigma

Setting up the excuses..................


14 posted on 10/30/2024 7:36:07 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

Which amazes me. My CFO is a Boston U grad from slightly earlier. Finance and economics degree. He’s fricking brilliant. He has zero clue how she made it through their program. (His comment is “she had to have blown a lot of TAs to scrape by with a C.”)


15 posted on 10/30/2024 7:44:49 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown in)
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To: VTenigma

I think it is more are conservative than admit it.

There is no retribution for being leftist and loud.


16 posted on 10/30/2024 7:46:05 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown in)
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To: Red Badger

I hope so.


17 posted on 10/30/2024 8:22:54 AM PDT by VTenigma (Conspiracy theory is the new "spoiler alert")
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To: TheThirdRuffian

Being leftist and loud is its own retribution. Unhappiness is a feature.


18 posted on 10/30/2024 8:29:58 AM PDT by xp38
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