ATLANTA, Ga. – Aya Alhaddad enjoys the lively atmosphere of a bustling kitchen, with plates clanging, oil sizzling, and a mix of sweet and savory aromas filling the air.

Upon moving to Atlanta, she initially entered the restaurant industry as a stepping stone. Her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. felt limiting after high school, and she sought more opportunities. Atlanta appeared to be brimming with possibilities, and there were numerous kitchen jobs available.

Before long, Alhaddad, at age 22, started to envision a thriving career. She aspired to open her own café and enrolled in business courses at Atlanta Technical College, a community college, to make her ambition a reality.

Today, she belongs to an increasing number of blue-collar Gen Z workers who express skepticism about the impact of the 2024 election results on their lives, despite the close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump vying for their votes.

“They do whatever they want,” Alhaddad commented about the two candidates. “I choose not to engage because I don’t trust them.”

Individuals like Alhaddad, who are not registered voters, indicate they prioritize other activities over casting a ballot. As the cost of tuition at traditional four-year colleges has surged, more young individuals are choosing vocational training, trade schools, and blue-collar jobs.

Enrollment in four-year colleges decreased by 14% between 2010 and 2019, while vocational community colleges experienced a 16% rise in enrollment from 2022 to 2023, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

These young workers share similar worries about the nation’s direction as their college-educated counterparts. They represent a crucial voter demographic that both Trump and Harris believe could influence the outcome of the 2024 election.

Trump is targeting young men, especially those lacking a college degree, by making appearances on male-centric podcasts and at professional fighting events. Similarly, Harris is trying to motivate young voters by engaging with meme culture during her campaign and proposing economic policies aimed at newcomers to the workforce.

However, appealing to this demographic has been a challenge. They tend to vote less and are more likely to feel that politics is irrelevant compared to their college-going peers.

Many, including Alhaddad, remain unconvinced by either candidate’s commitments.

Concerns Over the Economy

For Malina Bordere, 25, economic issues rank high on her priority list, particularly the steep housing costs.

“I genuinely wish for a market crash,” she remarked after attending a cosmetology class in Atlanta one September morning. While she laughed, there was a genuine concern behind her words.

Bordere aims to own a building of salon suites to lease to other stylists. She’s currently studying cosmetology to understand the business and form connections that could help her future endeavors. However, with mortgage interest rates exceeding 6% in the U.S., achieving her goal feels out of reach.

“It’s extremely difficult for recent graduates to buy a home,” she explained. “Everyone should be able to afford home ownership.”

Fears about financial stability and affordability resonate across various voting groups, especially among younger individuals. A recent YSL News/Suffolk University poll revealed that most participants aged 18-34 believe the U.S. economy is either stagnating or in decline.

However, young people in the workforce are focused on different economic concerns than their peers who are in college.

Those in the workforce often prioritize daily financial matters. In contrast, college students might be more concerned about overarching issues such as student debt. Kadida Kenner, CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project—a voting rights organization in a key battleground state—notes that workers are eager to hear about candidates’ strategies for job creation and cost reduction.

A survey by Harvard Youth Poll, conducted in early September, indicates that young individuals aged 18-29 who have not attended college are more likely to report their financial situation as poor compared to their peers who are in college or have obtained a degree.

“This is intensifying,” Kenner mentioned, “because they are transitioning into adulthood rapidly, without the support usually found on a college campus.”

Political Engagement

Nitzan Pelman, CEO of Climb Together, an organization dedicated to assisting low-income adults in finding well-paying employment, pointed out that recent high school graduates entering the workforce often feel economic pressures more strongly than their peers.

The steep cost of tuition is frequently the main obstacle preventing individuals from pursuing higher education, which often results in those who do not attend already being categorized in lower income levels.

“They lack the flexibility or privileges associated with school,” she explained. “The financial demands of daily life and education have led people to be more cautious and pragmatic.”

Kavaughn Moncrieffe, 23, has contemplated pursuing a bachelor’s degree after obtaining his GED, but as a busy father, he finds programs in HVAC and audio engineering to be more viable.

With limited personal time, Moncrieffe represents a significant number of working-class young adults who feel disconnected from political matters.

A survey by Harvard Youth Poll shows that 27% of individuals aged 18-29 without a college education indicated they probably or definitely would not participate in voting this November, compared to just 7% of their college-educated counterparts.

About 76% of those without a college degree identified themselves as politically disengaged, in contrast to 59% of those who attended college and 64% of current college students.

Moncrieffe feels that while politics are important, they don’t have a meaningful impact on his life.

“Those in power will act according to their wishes,” he said. “Whether their actions improve or worsen our living conditions, we have little control over it.”

John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, highlighted the difficulty candidates and voter registration groups face in connecting with voters like Moncrieffe and illustrating how policy decisions affect their daily lives.

In focus groups, he illustrates this by referencing the Affordable Care Act, which allowed young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance until the age of 26 under former President Barack Obama.

“For this demographic, we must demonstrate the positive impact that civic participation and government actions can have on their lives,” Della Volpe stated.

Kenner emphasized that political advocates need to engage young blue-collar voters by clarifying the distinctions between political parties, as well as where and how to vote. She believes that building trust requires a consistent, long-term presence within the community.

“You establish a foothold, provide resources to the community, and hopefully, they’ll see the value in what you’re doing and become motivated to register and support you,” she noted.

Political campaigns invest millions to ensure voter registration and turnout. Still, there is significant untapped potential among working-class youth.

Only 14% of young individuals with a college degree reported being undecided about their choices for the upcoming 2024 election, while that figure rose to 24% among those without a college education.

“This group contains a larger number of individuals than previously realized…”

“They’re more available compared to college students,” Della Volpe mentioned. “And just to clarify, they genuinely can be obtained.”