As November swiftly approaches and ballots sit on kitchen tables waiting to be marked, the question of whether youth political engagement around the Israel-Hamas conflict will extend to the ballot box looms large.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since fighting began following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, even as US support for its regional ally intensifies. Earlier this month, the State Department announced the delivery of a new air defense missile system to Israel, along with 100 American troops to deploy it.
On Oct. 17, Israel also announced that it had killed Hamas’ leader, Yahya Sinwar, largely believed to be the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack.
Margin of Victory
The ongoing violence has spurred younger Americans in droves to protest, or join vigils, encampments, and walkouts on college campuses nationwide to express their outrage and call for change.
American youth traditionally have notoriously low voter turnout rates. But a national poll released in September by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School indicates that among 18-to-29-year-olds nationwide, 74% of young Democrats and 60% of young Republicans say they will “definitely” vote in this election.
Forty-one million 18–29-year-olds will be eligible to vote this November, and could represent the margin of victory, especially in battleground states.
Disenchantment
Ethnic Media Services interviewed several California first-time voters, and while most said they would be voting for Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris — who holds a significant edge with younger voters over her opponent, Donald Trump — their enthusiasm varied based, in part, on the candidates’ positions vis-à-vis Gaza.
“The candidates’ positions on what’s happening in Gaza are definitely a factor in what’s making me want to abstain from voting,” says Sara Shibli, a 19-year-old International Relations major at Foothill College who says she’s reluctant to cast a vote for either candidate. “Kamala can’t take a clear stance on what’s happening in Gaza and that shows me she’s not going to be a strong president.”
‘Dread and Guilt’
Shibli is among those disaffected with America’s role in the region and believes neither candidate will push for tangible change concerning Gaza and the Middle East.
“Every single president shoves all of these issues under the rug,” she said. “All of the issues that are happening in the Middle East, not just Palestine and Israel, have been happening for decades.”
Alyia Matin,18, is an Environmental Studies major at Oberlin College. “The prospect of voting for Kamala fills me with great dread and guilt because it is a complete compromise of my values. But I just don’t see how abstaining from voting at all would lead to a better outcome.”
Reproductive Rights
She continued, “I’ve had a really difficult time thinking about how I want to vote in this election, this being the first I’m voting in. I do not want Trump in office, especially considering possible Supreme Court nominations, reproductive rights, and the climate crisis.”
But Matin weighs that against what she says is the Biden administration’s culpability in helping perpetrate “a genocide with terrifying ecological impacts” against Palestinians in Gaza. “I am voting for Kamala because, in her own words, she is not Trump,” said Matin.
Indeed, for many, fear of a second Trump term — and what it could mean for a range of issues, abortion key among them — seemed to weigh more than overt support for Harris.
Positive Course?
Eli Hughes, a 19-year-old Political Economy major at UC Berkeley, says Harris’ vague positions on Gaza are driving many of his otherwise left-leaning friends to steer clear of the ballot box in November. But, he adds, “I will still be voting for Kamala… it’s not a deal breaker for me. I would much rather my vote go to Kamala than no vote go to Kamala, or a vote go to Donald Trump.”
Still, despite the reticence, many expressed hope that once in office Harris, who told reporters Oct. 17 following the announcement of Sinwar’s death that it “offers an opportunity to end the war in Gaza,” will chart a more positive course.
‘Imperfect Choices’
“I am really excited by the idea of voting for a Black woman in the presidential election,” said Faith Cropper, 19, a Psychology major at UCLA. Turning to Gaza, she added, “This is an issue I’m very passionate about. The way our government is handling everything is really disappointing to me. However, I am 100% voting, and I am voting for my queen ! I don’t know if she’s going to make things better, but I believe she would support the end of the violence more than Trump.”
Zaccai Ng-Posey, 19, is a Business-Economics major at UCLA. He echoed that same sentiment. “I’m still voting for Kamala, but I really hope it’s something she addresses, especially because she’s the vice president right now.”
Researcher Karthick Ramakrishnan teaches public policy at UC Berkeley and says that even though the choices may not be perfect, voting is essential if young people want to see the change they are pressing for.
Voter Disengagement?
“Voting in a representative democracy is a complicated affair. You’re not going to find someone who agrees with you on everything. At some point, it becomes a question of whether or not you trust the person to carry through with integrity on the issues that you care about,” he said.
“Young people can have more leverage if they actually turn out to vote in very large numbers. But, if it’s mostly talk and it’s not followed through by action, including saying we protest by not voting, it’s not going to make a difference. Decision makers will conclude that people might make a lot of noise but when push comes to shove, they don’t have to worry about their votes,” he noted.
“I hope the frustration leads to greater engagement rather than disengagement,” said Ramakrishnan.
Tadakamalla is a second-year English major at Foothill College in Los Altos, California.
