As election nears, study shows how different generations vote

With the election less than a month away, a new study breaks down the generations on their voting preferences and opinions.

Bonus.com looks at the voting habits of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and the Gen Z crowd.

“To just kind of get a pulse on people’s thoughts on voting, the way people vote, and with the upcoming election, how people are feeling going into November,” spokesperson Emily Thornton said.

According to the new study across the four main generations, 73% of all Americans say they try to vote in every election. Broken down, 60% of Gen Z, 68% of Millennials, 80% of Gen X, and 86% of Baby Boomers try to cast their ballot whenever they can.

Illinois saw a 21.7% turnout for the June primary election. The Illinois State Board of Elections said that is the second-lowest primary turnout in the past 40 years.

Seventy-seven percent of Americans report voting for someone solely based on their political party, with the percentage higher in Illinois at 85%.

A majority of Illinoisans going to the polls believe their vote will make a difference, with 74% saying so.

Although all Americans are encouraged to vote and exercise their constitutional right, some are not researching the candidates before casting their ballots. Sixty percent of people said they have voted for someone without knowing where they stand on policies.

“Actually, Gen X has done this the most at 64%,” Thornton said.

According to the study, nearly 1 in 5 Millennials have voted for someone based on whose name they liked.

As for the physical act of voting, over half (51%) of Americans have voted by mail, and of those who have sent in their ballots, 58% say they prefer this method. In Illinois, 47% prefer voting by mail.

The survey of 1,000 Americans was conducted in September 2022 and involved an equal number of the four generations.

The midterm election is Nov. 8. Early voting is now underway.