Gen Z believes President-Elect Joe Biden best to handle student debt, survey reveals

— Article courtesy of CollegeFinance.com

This presidential election was the first time Generation Z was able to cast their ballots for who they thought would be most fit to lead our country. While about 7% of Generation Z voters were either unsure of who they would be voting for or had not planned on voting at all, the majority were outspoken about their political opinions. That statistic comes from a new study by CollegeFinance.com who recently polled Gen Z voters to gather their thoughts and opinions on the election and the financial security of America. 

Voting stances based on issues impacting our country

Faced with crippling debt in the form of student loans, it’s safe to assume that this would be one of the topics on the minds of our youngest voters. When looking at the overall opinion of Gen Z voters – those ages 18 to 23 – it’s clear that Joe Biden was the candidate they felt would best handle the student loan debt burden. According to the study, over 70% of Gen Z respondents felt this way, including 58.9% of registered Republican voters and 67.8% of registered Democrat voters. While there is still too much uncertainty surrounding the policies and actions President-elect Joe Biden might implement, in response to the coronavirus relief package, Biden did voice his support for student loan forgiveness options, including the cancellation of $10,000 or more in federal student loans per borrower. 

With the pandemic still impacting the world, solutions for college campuses during COVID-19 was another issue that weighed heavily on the minds of young voters. Many students have expressed their concerns and disapproval of online learning, stating that they are not getting the best return on their educational investment. Given this sentiment, it wasn’t surprising to see that 57.1% of young voters thought Joe Biden would handle solutions for college campuses during the pandemic better than the current administration. In fact, even 46.8% of young registered Republican voters felt this way. 

Another pressing issue for Gen Z voters was their overall financial future. The thought of student loans and the current pandemic likely factored into this opinion as well, but almost 59% of Gen Z voters felt Joe Biden was the candidate best able to handle this issue. They did not feel the same about post-pandemic economic stability, though. When it came to getting back on our feet financially as a country, 57.5% of voters felt President Trump was more fit to handle this issue. 

Casting their ballots

All issues considered and party affiliations aside, almost 3 in 5 young voters expressed their willingness to vote for the economy over their personal values during this election. With 46% feeling like the current political climate was making them less financially secure, it’s no wonder why some red states turned blue on election night. 

With no official announcement due to President Trump’s hesitance to concede, the election results are still in the air. One thing, however, is for sure: Our nation’s youngest voters have voices, and they made themselves heard on Election Day.