Rather than a taking a “generational” approach, CIRCLE focuses its work on 18- to 29-year-olds, consistent with the Census Bureau’s definition of “young adults.” At present, this group is about evenly made up of Gen Zers and millennials.

“Starting with millennials we see a movement away from a lot of traditional institutions, both politically and otherwise, that has continued into Gen Z,” Booth says. “You see it with religion and marriage, and you also see it with political parties.”

One way this manifests is that these voters are loyal first to their policy priorities, not to any party. Young voters don’t have high degrees of trust in either party, and are frustrated by the polarization and stagnation of recent years.