LANSING – With a new generation of voters growing, social media has taken command as the main focal point of political news. Especially for Generation Z.
During the 2024 election, the young voter turnout (ages 18-29) in Michigan reached 58%, an increase by 4% from the 2022 midterm election, according to the Circle for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.
New voters (ages 18-19) saw a turnout of 55%, which is the highest in the country among that age group.
Although turnout in the state was the highest in the U.S., more than 40% of registered youth did not go to the polls, according to the Tufts study.
Michigan’s turnout was the third-largest among youth voters and the biggest increase in voter turnout by state as well, the study said.
With the growing participation of Gen Zers election by election, young voters are starting to rely heavily on political information from social media, such as apps like TikTok and Instagram, according to a recent study from the Pew Research Center.
These apps have seen widespread popularity when it comes to news consumption. TikTok has seen a 14% increase in young adult users from 2020 to 2024, Instagram with a 9% increase and YouTube with a 9% increase, the Pew study said.
With social media becoming the frontrunner for news consumption, the 2026 midterm election in Michigan is approaching with key races that include the governorship, all U.S. House seats and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’s seat, which is up after the Bloomfield Township Democrat announced he won’t seek reelection.
Every state House and Senate seat is up for election as well.
An example of candidates using social media to their advantage last year was Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. She used social media such as TikTok to appeal to younger voters, especially when the polls were especially close.
For the 2026 election, priority issues for Gen Z voters include climate, cost of living, reproductive rights, gun violence and student debt, the Tufts study said.
Based on recent trends, even modest shifts in youth turnout could tip tight races in Michigan, which President Donald Trump won by only 1.4% in the 2024 presidential election, according to National Public Radio.
Trump drew 24% more Michigan voters under 30 last election than he did in 2020, the NPR story said.
Michigan is a critical swing state according to many national polls such as 270ToWin, which rates the U.S. Senate race one of three in battleground states for 2026.
