Do Gen Z Votes Count Double?

I still don’t get the obsession many politicians have with Generation Z. Do their votes count double?

I’ve recently spoken with a senator, and he seemed obsessed with Generation Z. After a while, I pushed back and said:

“Senator, I think there’s a difference here. You want to win the election with Gen Z votes. I’m different. For me, winning is good enough. If Gen Z votes are the easiest and the cheapest to get, I’m all in. But it’s not a condition in the sense that we have to win the election with Gen Z votes.”

Of course, I know fully well that the digital agencies are currently pushing outreach to Gen Z aggressively. Knowing politicians well and from a vulnerable side, I have spent quite some time thinking about why it is so appealing to them. I find it quite obvious that what the agencies are pushing is often very generic and their political track record limited. Maybe it’s the fear of missing out on a trend? The desire for instant gratification? Or the zealousness to match what the competition does? I have observed repeatedly that candidates are carefully observing and emulating the competition instead of listening to the voters.

Be it as it may, Odysseus had to blindfold himself and be tied to the mast in order to be able to pass by the island where the sirens were located. Their singing was so seductive.

Political strategy however should not be guided by siren songs, but rationality. In most countries, turnout increases with age. Young people are notoriously unreliable to actually turn out and vote. Their political behavior is very volatile, which makes banking your strategy on them a bargain.

But of course, context matters. In some countries in the Western world, in a rural setting, Gen Z may represent less than 10% of the electorate. If your political offer is conservative, it’s almost a quantité négligeable. If you’re running in a country with a young population, Gen Z might represent 20% or more of the voting population. In such a situation, of course, you have to reach out.

Ideally, you do that in a smart and strategic way. You must treat podcasters, influencers, and bloggers like journalists in the sense that you reach out to them, pitch them, and feed them. But you don’t send them a press release. They might be more interested in easy-to-use video footage, behind-the-scenes content or a one-on-one with a candidate. And of course, in this world, authenticity is king.

Winning elections is about arithmetic, not fashion. Gen Z may be part of the equation, but it should never be mistaken for the whole formula. Turnout beats likes any time on election day.

PS: Check out my channel on YouTube where the latest video is also on that topic.

Dr Louis Perron