I agree, and while we're at, include

Affluent
White
Female
Urban
Liberals

These idiotic people are a royal pain in the ass.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
Clarifying voting standards is not federalizing elections.

quote:

Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution; The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

One senator from each state elected by popular vote statewide. The other voted by one vote from each county (or rep district?) based on county popular vote.

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:
… you have to be a net payer of taxes.

The most important part.

I blame it om the parents.

My son just turned 15, which means he can get his drivers learners permit and can drive when he turns 16. Apparently, as part of that process the DMV starts some process to get you eligible to vote...when you turn 18. My son got a piece of mail the other day from the County and it was about registering to vote.

He was all excited because he chose Republican. He was all excited and was exclaiming...I'M NOW OFFICIALLY A REPUBLICAN!!!!!

I didn't burst his bubble, but not everyone of young age should be excluded from voting. He understands the issues because I teach him.

^^^
Age 15 would be a bad idea, I’m sure you realize that. Some interesting ideas for sure. I disagree with an exemption for military service if the minimum age is changed. Wearing a uniform will do a lot of good for young men and women but the uniform doesn’t give you knowledge, maturity and understanding.
IQ tests alone won’t work, we have all known intelligent fools, and there are plenty of illiterate citizens who certainly understand our government and how it functions. Although a certain level of competency should be considered.

I’m going to follow this thread. There’s no easy answer but I enjoy hearing the suggestions. Interesting thread Para.

I will add this; I believe a solid understanding of finances, budgets, and interest should be part of it.

I think that would be a bad idea in the immediate future. Gen Z is trending conservative. Millennials trend liberal. By eliminating Gen Z, I fear we would be eliminating a new swath of conservative numbers that just may outnumber the liberal idiots.

People in their mid-20's to early 30's grew up with the Obama education system where they learned to hate America. They pushed so hard with the gender identity and pronouns and just crazy thinking that the kids in school these days are revolting against their woke teachers. The young men want to be men and don't want to be told that their masculinity is toxic anymore.

Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, Asmongold and other influencers have connected with young men and young women as well to help them resist the woke ideology that's being pushed in school.

I asked Grok and this was the answer I got:

Me: Are recent new voters (as-in, coming of voting age) trending conservative due to overreach of DEI and identity politics?


The evidence on whether young voters (typically defined as Gen Z, aged 18-29, coming of voting age in recent years) are trending conservative due to overreach in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives and identity politics is mixed and evolving. Based on polls, surveys, and analyses from 2024 through early 2026, there was a notable rightward shift among this group in the 2024 election—particularly among young men—but subsequent data shows waning enthusiasm for Republicans and Donald Trump, with many young voters disengaging from both parties or identifying as independents. Backlash against DEI and identity politics appears to be a contributing factor in some shifts, especially among young men, but it's not the sole or dominant driver; economic concerns, cultural dissatisfaction, and global trends in gender polarization play larger roles. I'll break this down with key data and trends below, drawing from recent polls like the Harvard Youth Poll (Fall 2025), Yale Youth Poll (Fall 2025), and others.

### The 2024 Shift: Evidence of a Rightward Trend Among Young Voters
In the 2024 presidential election, young voters showed increased support for Republicans and Trump compared to 2020, bucking historical patterns where this demographic leaned heavily Democratic. Exit polls and analyses indicate:
- Trump won young men (18-29) by 14 points, while young women favored Democrats by a similar margin, creating a stark gender divide.
- Overall, Kamala Harris won young voters by just 4 points (vs. Biden's 25-point margin in 2020), marking the strongest Republican performance among this group since 2008.
- Among Gen Z white men, Trump captured a majority, and nonwhite young men narrowly supported him.

This shift was more pronounced among the youngest subset (18-22), who were more likely to identify as conservative (40%) than older Gen Z (23-29, at 38%). Voter registration data from 2025 shows Democratic affiliation dropping sharply among young white men (to 29% from historical ~49%), while holding steady among young white women.

#### Role of DEI and Identity Politics in the Shift
Several sources point to backlash against DEI and progressive identity-focused policies as a partial explanation, particularly for young men's move rightward:
- Global trends show young men in 20+ countries (including the U.S.) shifting toward conservative or right-wing parties, driven by economic despair, housing costs, and perceptions that DEI and feminism marginalize men (e.g., ignoring issues like higher male suicide rates or criminal justice disparities).
- In the U.S., young men have expressed concern that DEI "goes too far," with some viewing women's gains as coming at their expense. A 2024 poll found only 36% of Americans support banning federal DEI initiatives (a Project 2025 proposal), with men more supportive (46%) than women (28%).
- Democratic pollsters noted this as a "shock," with Gen Z moving from the most progressive generation to potentially the most conservative in 50-60 years, partly due to identity politics alienating young men. Social media influencers (e.g., in the "manosphere") amplified conservative views on gender and culture.
- X discussions (e.g., from users like @themarketswork and @Fulcrumbs44) echo this, describing DEI as demonizing white males and leading to job/college preferences that push young men rightward.

However, not all analyses agree this is a broad ideological conservatism. Some young conservatives are more egalitarian on issues like racial equality and climate change than older ones, suggesting the shift is more about anti-establishment sentiment or "fatalism" than pure ideology. A 2024 UCLA study found 82.7% of Gen Z supported Harris for policy reasons, not her identity, indicating a potential move away from identity politics overall.

Younger Gen Z also holds slightly more traditional views on gender roles (e.g., 48% of 18-22 say men should ask out on dates, vs. 37% overall), which aligns with conservatism but isn't directly tied to DEI in polls.

### Post-2024 Trends: Waning Support and Rise of Independents
By late 2025 and early 2026, enthusiasm for conservatism and Republicans appears to be cooling among young voters, suggesting the 2024 shift may not be a durable trend:
- Trump's approval among 18-29 year-olds dropped to 29% (Fall 2025), with young men at 32% and women at 26%. Disapproval is high (30-36 points across age subgroups), a reversal from Spring 2025 when 18-21 year-olds narrowly approved.
- Democrats lead in 2026 generic ballots by 15-20 points among young voters. A majority (56% for Democrats, 62% for GOP) view both parties unfavorably.
- Independents are now the plurality (43% among 18-29), rejecting both parties' movements (e.g., only 13% support MAGA among independents). Young voters lean Democratic modestly but are disaffected, prioritizing issues like inflation (37%) and housing over ideology.
- A January 2026 survey of Trump voters found younger ones (post-1981) pushing "new traditionalism"—stronger support for male leadership, religion, and even political violence—but this is a minority within the GOP coalition (29% hardliners). New GOP entrants (younger, more diverse) are more liberal on DEI and migration.

Polls like Yale's show an intra-Gen Z split: 18-21 year-olds favor Republicans by 12 points for 2026, while 22-29 favor Democrats by 6 points. This suggests the very newest voters (coming of age post-2024) may sustain some conservatism, but overall, young voters are fatalistic about politics (64% see democracy as troubled) and prioritize substantive policy over trends or identities.

### Summary of Key Poll Data
Here's a table comparing ideological self-identification among young voters from recent surveys:

| Age Group | Liberal (%) | Conservative (%) | Independent/Moderate (%) | Source |
|----------- |-------------|------------------|---------------------------|--------|
| 18-22 | 47 | 40 | Not specified | Yale Fall 2025 |
| 23-29 | 45 | 38 | Not specified | Yale Fall 2025 |
| 18-29 Overall | ~46 (avg.) | ~39 (avg.) | 43 | Harvard Fall 2025 |
| Gen Z (18-29) | Not specified | 29 (white young adults in 2024) | 30 (Moderate Centrist) | Various 2025-2026 |

In conclusion, while DEI and identity politics overreach contributed to a conservative trend among new young voters in 2024 (especially men), recent data indicates this may be temporary or limited to subsets. Broader disillusionment with institutions and economic pressures are more consistent drivers, with many young voters opting for independence rather than firm conservatism. Trends could shift further with 2026 midterms, but current evidence doesn't show a clear, sustained rightward trajectory.

Let's also not discount homeschoolers. Homeschooling has exploded in the last five years and conservative families are the largest group among conservatives, liberals and independents.

I think we're seeing a generational shift away from liberal ideology and a shift more center/right for common sense.

The youth are fighting back against pronouns and body positivity. Only in leftist strongholds is it still prominent.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
...Apparently, as part of that process the DMV starts some process to get you eligible to vote...when you turn 18. My son got a piece of mail the other day from the County and it was about registering to vote.

That would be the National Voter Registration Act(NVRA) of 1993, aka the Motor Voter Act, signed into law by Bill Clinton. Unfortunately, that's the same mechanism a lot of states loophole into registering "immigrants" to vote by allowing them to get a drivers license...

Start with a repeal of the 17th amendment

Require voter ID on all federal elections, although I fear that D states will just issue ID's to anyone and accept that as being a US Citizen.

Require US citizenship to vote in a Federal Election

Set standards for Federal Election Ballots

No Ballot Harvesting allowed
No Drop Boxes
No Mail in Ballots, other than overseas, or, indigent, and/or physically unable to drive get to a polling place.

Open counting of ballots, reviewable by members of both parties.

Paper Ballots only....

I agree it's a bad idea as GenZ tends to lend conservative...

quote:

Raise the voting age to 25

Although I would support raising the voting age to 25, the far more likely to happen would be repealing the 26th amendment, returning the voting age to 21.

Amendment Twenty-six to the Constitution was ratified on July 1, 1971. It lowered the voting age for all Americans to eighteen years, having previously been established as twenty-one years-old. The official text is:

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

21 or 25 to vote and must be a property owner or in the military.

Too many out there with no skin in the game and are only voting for the free shit being offered to them.

Given the political realities, I don't think it's possible in the near future to change any of the current voting laws and rules. But, a law could be passed allowing up to two names on the title of a taxable piece of property to vote again at the local, state, and national level. So property owners get to vote twice, and only twice regardless of how many properties they own.

25 or 21, whatever, just as long as they’re US citizen male property owners.

I agree, and I’d add a requirement. They must have filed a tax return and show proof. We have plenty of 25+ year olds living in mommy and daddy’s (or grandparents) basement, not working. Playing video games, all over the social media, with Doritos crumbs on their stomachs. They just as immature and naive as the 18 year olds.

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
25 or 21, whatever, just as long as they’re US citizen male property owners.

No US citizen female property owners?

A maximum age limit, too. Or, some way to limit the abuse of seniors' ballots especially in senior living centers. I'm sure seniors living anywhere are having their ballots abused, but the assisted living, nursing care, and memory care centers are chock full of vote fraud.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
25 or 21, whatever, just as long as they’re US citizen male property owners.

No US citizen female property owners?

Or renters?

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
25 or 21, whatever, just as long as they’re US citizen male property owners.

No US citizen female property owners?

It would be difficult to implement since it requires a Constitutional amendment and women comprise the majority of voters currently.

I don't think my wife would vote for that...

Voting should be the same process as buying a gun. Don't like it? Make it easier to buy a gun.

IMO, the worst group as a whole is the millennial generation ages 28-45. There is a great movement toward conservatism in males aged 18-27, but the females in this age group are genuinely bat

quote:

There is a great movement toward conservatism in males aged 18-27, but the females in this age group are genuinely bat

AWFUL
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