By: Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans
Gen Z voters in Wisconsin voted two to one for Joe Biden in 2020, 33% higher than Democratic turnout in the 2016 Presidential Election. The Wisconsin College Republicans and its chapters across the state support voter turnout among our peers, it is our belief, the increase in 74,000 votes coupled with President Biden’s 61-33 advantage among 18–24-year-old voters was undeniably a contributing factor in Biden’s 20,000 vote win in Wisconsin.
As the representatives of the GOP on our campuses, we believe we have a mandate to avoid youth-related political oversights we have seen in previous elections. Fundamentally, GOP Presidential Candidates must utilize all tools available to them to gain support among the college-aged demographic. This is done through communication with this group. Candidates must literally go meet the voters at their own level. This is most effectively done through social media.
A recent NPR story titled, Democrats consider how TikTok may fit into their 2024 campaign strategy highlighted the importance of our demographic. In 2024 social media, including TikTok, X, and Instagram are equally as important as phone banking and radio ads were in the 80s and 90s. Given the importance of connecting with younger voters and statistics showing the trending increases in voter turn-out among 18–24-year-old Wisconsinites, we request all GOP Presidential hopefuls both embrace and utilize these vital campaign tools throughout the 2024 election cycle.
