It's the Brian Lear show on WNYC.

Welcome back, everybody.

I'm Matt Katz, keeping the big seat warm for Brian today.

Now we'll take some time to understand the political beliefs and behaviors of the youngest generation of voters in our country, Gen Z.

This November, 41 million Zomers will be eligible to vote, and 8 million of them will be hitting the polls in a national election for the first time.

Despite pollsters' tendencies to describe young voters as a monolithic group,

Gen Z is the most diverse generation in history. According to the Center for Information and

Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 45% of voters ages 18 to 27 are people of color.

If you're not convinced of the significance of Gen Z's diversity as they enter

the voting electorate, youth of color make up just over half of new voters in key southern states

like Georgia, Texas, and Florida. They're 40% of new voters in battleground states like Arizona

and Nevada. Ultimately, if zoomers show up to the polls, they could be the group that swings the

election. But do they know the power that they hold? Will they show up to vote? What's keeping

Gen Z from harnessing their political might and what issues matter to them the most? Let's ask

them. We often host unofficial, unscientific polls on this show, given the unique quality of our audience.

So we'll consider the results with this in mind.

But let's also take this as a Gen Z town hall of sorts.

It's an opportunity to hear directly from crucial voters about who aren't necessarily represented in our caller base as frequently.

So Gen Z listeners, the floor is yours, clearing the phone lines just for Gen Z.

What issues are most important to you in the upcoming elections?

How civically or politically engaged are you and your friends?

Do you follow politics?

...