McGuireWoods Consulting research associate Ginger Barbour was featured in a ESSENCE Girls United article discussing the political engagement of young voters titled “The Local Power Gap: How Gen Z Can Translate TikTok Activism Into Real-World Policy.”
In the piece, Barbour, who works for McGuireWoods Consulting’s Virginia government relations team, emphasized the importance of Gen Z in the upcoming state election and addresses the disconnect in the generation’s online activism and voter turnout.
Barbour believes this disconnect is sown through a myriad of factors, including messaging, accessibility and education.
When it comes to civic engagement, American culture focuses solely on presidential elections, according to Barbour.
“Presidential elections are embedded in our education system and our media,” Barbour said. “From election night to Inauguration Day, the federal executive and legislative branches are taught to be consumed by every generation.”
The reasoning for this lies in the messaging surrounding state and local elections.
“Messaging is not attractive or digestible for non-politicos,” Barbour said. “At the core of state and local political communications are journalists, copywriters and social media managers who produce each press release, post, ad or mailer. Gen Z is not viewed as a consumer, target audience, critic or donor by these authors and therefore rarely are their algorithms considered.”
State and local election campaigns are struggling to find a way to resonate with young voters, according to Barbour.
This issue is exacerbated by the fact that young voters can be unaware of what state and local officials actually do, and the policy they implement.
Young voters often bypass state and local elections because the generation connects to stories rather than systems, and these campaigns often fail to appeal to this trait.
“Despite these challenges, the opportunity for change is massive,” the article writes. “Gen Z is on track to become the largest voting bloc in the United States by the end of the decade. The generation’s values of equity, sustainability, and justice align with many of the issues decided at the state level. Learning to vote locally means shaping the laws that directly reflect those priorities.”
This can be done through an increased understanding of privilege and responsibility, according to Barbour.
“Young voters need to know their vote and their voices matter,” Barbour said. “We are not far enough removed from women’s suffrage and the Voting Rights Act of 1964 to get complacent. People died for me to have the right to vote which has empowered me to take part in every primary, general, and special election I have been eligible for since the age of 18.”
Gen Z must view civic engagement as a value. Young people can take action through showing up to local meetings, volunteering for campaigns and encouraging their peers to vote at the state and local level.
Simply put, tangible change begins at the local level.
“We must continue to be the change we want to see and be involved in our future and the future of Gen Alpha,” Barbour said.
