ROUNDUP: College Newspapers Across Swing States Highlight Climate as Critical Issue Among Young Voters

Washington, D.C. — Climate is a top issue for young and student voters, a critical voting bloc in this election. College newspapers across battleground states have reported on the climate stakes of this election and how young voters are being mobilized around climate and clean energy. 

The Spectator, Valdosta State University: Climate Change Takes Center Stage as Young Voters Mobilize for the Election 

“Climate is a very intersectional subject,” said [Eden] Alem. “It impacts the prices we pay for energy at home, the decisions we make about travel, and even our health. Communities living through extreme heat waves, wildfires, and pollution are all bearing the brunt of man-made climate change.”

For college students, many of whom have grown up seeing the devastating effects of climate change in real-time, this is more than just a talking point. From hurricanes devastating coastal areas to wildfires raging through the West, young people are grappling with the reality that climate disasters are no longer distant possibilities—they’re happening now.

The State Press, Arizona State University: Students, climate experts discuss the role of climate change during election season

“When you think about it (climate change) long-term, this is the world that we’re growing up in and our future generation is going to grow up in,” Josh Laggis, a junior studying photography, said. “It’s a very crucial time.” …

“We are seeing how unnatural and how extreme the impacts of climate change can be,” [Lori] Lodes said. “The one thing that we can do that will have a lasting impact for generations to come is to vote.” 

Laggis said young people have the ability right now to use their vote in Arizona, a battleground that could determine the election.

“We have over 70,000 students here at ASU,” Laggis said. “Those numbers can swing a state.”

The Spectator, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire: Voting advocates on campus talk climate change and reproductive rights

“This election will very much determine the future and what that looks like,” [Lori] Lodes said. “Donald Trump refuses to acknowledge climate change is real. Harris and Walz say this is an opportunity to invest in communities, innovation and leadership to build out our economic future.”

Lodes said student voters have a unique perspective on climate change and its future connotations.

“Climate is such a critical issue and no one knows that more than young voters,” Lodes said. “It’s an issue young voters care deeply about because they are the future.”

The Racquet Press, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse: Climate Power breaks down the climate stakes in “the election of our lifetime”

“Action on climate means good-paying jobs. It means lowering costs, it means a livable future. It means clean air and clean water. When we talk about climate action that way, we bridge that education gap a lot with people.”

[Eden] Alem concluded with a call to action for the young voters of Wisconsin to vote with the climate and their futures in mind.

She said, “It is not a hyperbole to say this is the election of our lifetime. It is a climate election. This election determines whether we move forward on an issue that we have very limited time to act on or we go backward to a time where big oil billionaires have a say in what our country and our future look like.”

The Blueprint, Spelman College: Engaging Young Voters on Climate Issues

“The biggest difference is that Kamala Harris and Governor Walz have extensive climate history. Walz was in office when Minnesota passed 100% clean energy, and Harris sued Big Oil companies for environmental crimes, knowing it impacts Black and Brown people the most. …

Getting engaged with ‘Too Hot to Vote’ means signing on to fight for our futures. We are planning for what the next four years will look like and how youth voters and youth engagement will be key.”

The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin – Madison: Is climate policy key to Gen Z voters? Climate Power says it might be in Wisconsin

“In 2020, Joe Biden won Wisconsin by about 20,000 votes. That’s a really small margin. And alone, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has nearly 50,000 students,” [Eden] Alem said.

Young voters are a key new demographic that both Harris and former President Donald Trump are fighting for. Over 8 million new voters have aged into eligibility since the 2022 midterm elections, creating a more diverse electorate that could end up swaying the election.

“It started to create this campaign to mobilize young people, especially around making sure they’re educated about the stark contrast between Harris’ record and Trump’s dangerous agenda,” Alem said. “The other part of the campaign is ensuring that young people, you know, register to vote, check their registration status and move forward.”

Alem knows young voters care about climate change when they’re deciding who to vote for, along with other contentious issues like abortion, health care, protecting democracy and gun violence prevention. According to Pew Research, 76% of Gen Z lists climate change as one of their biggest concerns when choosing who to cast their ballot for.