Young Voters Break from Tradition: Major Shifts on Immigration, Gender Rights, and Ukraine

The Spring 2025 edition of the Yale Youth Poll has unveiled significant generational divides in the political attitudes of young American voters (aged 18-29) compared to the general electorate. Surveying over 4,000 registered voters, with 2,025 specifically from the youth demographic, this poll offers a unique look at how younger voters are shaping the political landscape in America.

When it comes to immigration, the survey highlighted stark contrasts between young voters and the broader electorate. While overall voters opposed allowing asylum seekers who enter the country illegally to stay, young voters strongly supported it, with a 25-point margin in favor. This divide became even more pronounced when asked about the deportation of international students protesting the war in Gaza. A resounding 65% of young voters opposed deportation, in stark contrast to the 36% opposition among the general electorate. Similarly, when it came to the issue of gender transition treatments for teens aged 13 to 17, young voters were nearly split, with only a 0.1-point margin of opposition. This was a sharp contrast to the broader electorate, which opposed it by a 24-point margin. These differences underscore the evolving perspectives of younger Americans on issues such as immigration and healthcare, which are often more progressive than the views held by older generations.

Young voters also demonstrated a stronger inclination towards free speech on college campuses. Nearly half of those under 30 felt universities should take political or social stances, whereas the broader electorate mostly disagreed. Additionally, when it came to standardized testing for college admissions, a majority of young voters favored a test-optional system, while the general electorate leaned toward requiring standardized test scores, further emphasizing the differences in opinions across age groups. These responses reflect young voters’ ongoing concerns with how institutions, especially educational ones, are responding to current social and political issues, as well as their evolving thoughts on meritocracy and fairness in the admissions process.

On the political front, the poll revealed that both President Trump and Vice President Vance suffer from negative favorability ratings, especially among young voters. Trump’s net favorability among the under-30 crowd was -17.9, and Vance’s was even lower at -30. This was part of a broader trend, as younger voters are showing greater preference for Democratic candidates in upcoming elections. For instance, young voters aged 22-29 favored the Democratic candidate by 6.4 points in the 2026 congressional elections, while those aged 18-21 leaned Republican by an 11.7-point margin. These trends indicate a deeper polarization within the under-30 demographic, with older young voters tending toward more progressive positions and their younger counterparts aligning more with conservative views.

The poll also delved into fiscal and economic issues, with both young voters and the general electorate expressing concerns about inflation. However, young voters tended to view the Republican Party as primarily focused on lowering taxes, while Democrats were seen as more concerned with improving public services and raising wages. This mirrors the broader national discourse where economic issues like inflation and wages continue to dominate conversations. When it came to the federal budget, young voters shared a misconception with the broader public, dramatically underestimating the share of government spending dedicated to Social Security while also expressing support for taxing large university endowments. Their views on higher education spending aligned with their preferences on the economy: they were more likely to support using Pell Grants for trade schools and taxing the annual profits of university endowments over $10 billion.

Young voters also displayed a mixed approach to foreign policy. While they were more likely to support continued aid to Ukraine, their opinions were more divided than the general electorate, with 43.8% in favor of continued aid and 42.7% opposing it. On the topic of Taiwan, young voters were almost evenly split between supporting direct U.S. intervention and providing aid, whereas older voters were more hesitant to engage in any significant intervention. These findings suggest that younger Americans are more open to international engagement, particularly when it comes to defending democratic values abroad, but they also appear to have a more nuanced and pragmatic view of America’s role in global conflicts.

The poll’s results also revealed a generational gap on social issues like transgender athletes and medical transitions. While voters of all ages generally supported restricting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, young voters were more supportive of transgender athletes competing across all levels, particularly in youth sports. This generational divide was similarly seen in opinions on gender transition treatments, where young voters expressed more support for access to gender transition treatments for teens aged 18 to 21, with 61.1% in favor, compared to just 50% of the broader electorate. These responses reflect how issues of gender identity and rights are evolving among younger generations, with a growing openness to progressive policies and a push for greater access to healthcare for transgender individuals.

Finally, when it came to institutional trust, young voters were more likely than the general electorate to view the Supreme Court as ruling based on ideology or partisanship, rather than legal reasoning. This sentiment further underscores the growing disillusionment among young people with traditional political institutions and the need for reform to ensure greater fairness and transparency. Additionally, young voters expressed overwhelming support for changing the law to allow Pell Grants to cover trade schools, illustrating their belief in expanding educational opportunities beyond traditional four-year universities.

Ultimately young voters are shaping a very distinct and progressive political landscape. Their views on immigration, healthcare, education, and foreign policy differ significantly from the broader electorate, highlighting a generational shift in how issues are approached and understood. These young voters are more likely to support progressive policies, more open to new ideas on gender and social issues, and more critical of traditional institutions. As the political cycle moves forward, their growing influence will undoubtedly play a key role in determining the future direction of our nation’s policies.