As the 2024 presidential and state elections enter the homestretch, candidates are making their final push to garner votes in what could be the closest election in the country’s history. Because razor-thin margins are likely to make the difference in this race, some reports show that candidates are working to capture a key demographic that some say has become apathetic to the idea of voting, despite their increasing voter registration and turn-out: Gen Z.

While some young Appalachians have said their peers might feel apathetic about voting, or struggle to access information needed to vote, they stand to make a difference in upcoming elections. Five West Virginians spoke to 100 Days about issues on their minds this election. 

The economy is a concern

According to CIRCLE at Tufts University, 53% of voters ages 18-34 cited inflation and cost of living as one of their top three issues. 

Michael Taylor, a junior studying philosophy and political science at West Virginia University, told 100 Days economic inequality is among his top three concerns this election. “Over the past 20 years, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and economic inequality is a huge concern for me, being from West Virginia,” Taylor said, “Overall, it seems like Appalachia has been ignored this election cycle and the past few election cycles.”

Mylaki Starsick, a 21-year-old a groundskeeper at a country club, is also concerned about economic policy, citing it as a top-three issue. “Things are expensive and people aren’t able to get paid enough to afford living,” he said.

Ruby Belle Booth, a CIRCLE Researcher, said that the economy is the biggest issue for some young people, including inflation, jobs that pay living wages, and cost of living or cost of health care. 

“There’s a big opportunity to be talking to young people about the economy and about economic issues in a way that matches their priorities around the topic,” she said. This includes young people who didn’t vote: Booth said that, in a survey of young people who didn’t vote in 2020 and are unlikely to vote in 2024, most reported that the economy is their top issue. “There’s all these votes being left on the table of young people who aren’t turning out to vote and who the economy is a really big issue for,” Booth added.

 Young people care about reproductive health care

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, West Virginia enacted a ban on abortion with very limited exceptions, according to the Guttmacher Institute.  Many young people who spoke with 100 Days cited abortion or reproductive health care as an issue they care about. 

“My number one issue is women’s health,” said Taylor. “Women should not have to worry about access to reproductive health care.” 

Sophie Slaughter, a dual history and women’s and gender studies major who is also president of WVU’s Appalachian Advocacy Club, echoes this. “I’m also perpetually concerned about reproductive health in the region,” she said. “We have what is essentially an abortion ban.” For reproductive health and gender-affirming care, Slaughter said, “It’s feeling pretty dire on those fronts.”

A PEW Research poll reported that more than 76% of those 18-29 surveyed said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. 

“In West Virginia, where the state Legislature has already implemented restrictive abortion laws, reproductive health could mobilize younger and more progressive voters who feel alienated by these decisions,” said Shaniqua Williams, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at West Virginia University. “Women, in particular, may be highly motivated to vote in favor of candidates who pledge to protect reproductive rights.” Williams added that it’s also possible that more conservative voters who support restrictions will turn out, and that how candidates frame these campaigns will have a significant impact on turnout overall.

The state of democracy 

Following the January 6 insurrection and false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, concerns about preserving America’s institutions and political violence have become mainstream. Some research has found that Gen Z holds “little trust” in America’s political institutions.

“For Gen-Z, January 6^th was not just a one-time event but a turning point that shaped their understanding of democracy’s fragility and the dangers posed by internal threats. As voters in a post-Jan. 6^th system, they are more attuned to the threats of political polarization, misinformation, and the erosion of democratic norms,” said Williams “For this generation, voting isn’t just about policies or party platforms — it’s about safeguarding democracy itself.”

“I’d say our country is very divided politically, even just based on Republican senators and House members blocking everything the Biden administration has been trying to pass,” said Nate Flower, a junior animal science major. “Even day-to-day political conversations, I feel like they tend to become hostile very quickly.”

Among Flower’s concerns are Supreme Court appointments, gun control policies, and the economy. He’s also concerned about Project 2025’s potential impact on democracy as a whole. 

Gabby Frazier,  a junior who is studying geography and English and cited civil rights, reproductive health, and green infrastructure as key motivators this November, shared this concern. She worries about a peaceful transfer of power if Kamala Harris defeats Donald Trump, and about misinformation around the results of the election. “I feel like since the last presidential election year with the eventual insurrection at the Capitol, it’s now a little bit more present in my mind that that’s something that could potentially happen again,” Frazier said.

Israel-Palestine

According to CIRCLE, which analyzed multiple polls in February 2024, a majority of youth want a ceasefire in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, in which Israeli forces have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.  Students at several universities in Appalachia,  including the University of Pittsburgh, Case Western Reserve University, and Ohio State University, participated in protests or encampments this past spring.

“I’m not too pleased with the way that things are going, seeing pretty much all the candidates’ reactions to what’s going on in Palestine is very disheartening,” said Frazier. It creates tension for voters, Frazier continued because it seems like “you can’t have relief in Palestine and also these positive more progressive issues on internal issues in America.”

According to Williams, for Gen Z, especially in places like West Virginia, the conflict is a relevant issue due to digital interconnectedness, humanitarian values, and the moral expectations young voters place on their leaders to act justly in global affairs. “The fact that the conflict is distant geographically does not diminish the significance of these issues to them,” said Williams. “If anything, it makes the moral urgency stronger, as many in Gen Z are looking for U.S. foreign policy to reflect values of human rights, justice, and global solidarity.”

“The climate crisis has been a growing concern,” said Taylor. “People of our generation have grown up to only know the climate crisis.” In the past month, Taylor pointed out, Hurricane Helene recently devastated parts of Appalachia. 

The ongoing climate crisis

Taylor thinks it might take more and more members of Gen Z getting involved in politics to truly address the climate crisis, but it’s urgent. “If we don’t get a hold of this, what are we fighting for if our world is almost inhabitable?” he asked.

Frazier likes to pay attention to candidate’s thoughts on infrastructure, she said, including funding for climate disasters and green initiatives. “I think, policy-wise, a lot of issues that are very present in Appalachia are being discussed on more of a national scale,” she said. “Specifically, green infrastructure is being considered in a way that’s not really been done before.”

Where does Gen Z go from here?

Booth, the CIRCLE researcher, said that if you look at the political environment in which Gen Z has grown up, it’s been a lot of “unprecedented times,” or stakes of elections that feel incredibly high. Young people, Booth said, are trying to fight for a democracy that reflects their values more, including one that demands a more respectful, pragmatic approach to politics than the current landscape. 

“I wish every young person felt like their voice mattered enough to vote,” Booth added. “But right now that’s not the message that most young people are getting.”

Some young people, like Slaughter, said that though there’s rightfully a lot of attention on the presidential race, “what really I think is going to most directly impact Appalachians and West Virginians, in particular, are those like state and local elections.”

I feel like there’s this growing political consciousness, especially among younger people in the region,” she said.  I’m really thrilled about it. I’m really excited about it.”

 Rozaireo Jones is a journalism and political science double major at West Virginia University. Rozaireo is passionate about American politics, elections, and rural progressive policy advocacy, and intends to go into political broadcast journalism.