Political Attitudes of the
Millennial Generation in
the Intermountain West
Scott Keeter
Pew Research Center
Brookings West / UNLV
October 8, 2010
Topics for Exploration
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Partisan and ideological tilt of Millennials
Fundamental social and religious values
Attitudes about political issues
Political engagement
Values and opinions on current issues
Evidence from Many Sources
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Pew Research Center surveys since 2000
Pew Forum’s Religious Landscape Survey 2007
US Census surveys on voter turnout
National Election Pool exit polls
Brookings / UNLV 2010 survey
Party Affiliation and Leaning for Ages
18-29
in
the
Intermountain
West
60%
51%
45%
40%
41%
30%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Republican/lean
2006
2008
2010
Democrat/lean
Pew Research Center surveys
Party Affiliation and Leaning for Ages
18-29
in
the
Intermountain
West
60%
51%
45%
40%
41%
30%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Republican/lean
2006
2008
2010
Democrat/lean
Pew Research Center surveys
Republican Party Affiliation and Leaning
for Ages 18-29
60%
51%
41%
40%
38%
33%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Intermountain West
2006
2008
2010
Elsewhere
Pew Research Center surveys
Republican Party Affiliation and Leaning
for Ages 18-29
60%
Ages 30+
51%
41%
40%
38%
33%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Intermountain West
2006
2008
2010
Elsewhere
Pew Research Center surveys
Democratic Party Affiliation and Leaning
for Ages 18-29
60%
54%
44%
45%
40%
30%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Intermountain West
2006
2008
2010
Elsewhere
Pew Research Center surveys
Democratic Party Affiliation and Leaning
for Ages 18-29
60%
54%
44%
45%
40%
Ages 30+
30%
20%
0%
2000
2002
2004
Intermountain West
2006
2008
2010
Elsewhere
Pew Research Center surveys
Self-Identified Ideology:
Conservative
45
27
41
41
38
28
18-29
30+
Intermountain West
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Self-Identified Ideology:
Liberal
26
28
18-29
17
18
30+
Intermountain West
19
20
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Obama Vote
67
51
18-29
47
50
30+
Intermountain West
50
54
Total
Elsewhere
2008 NEP exit poll
2010 Obama Approval
57
42
18-29
46
37
30+
Intermountain West
48
38
Total
Elsewhere
2010 Pew Research Center surveys
Pew Research Center surveys
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION,
COMMITMENT AND MORAL VALUES
Religious Affiliation:
Atheist, Agnostic, Nothing in Particular
32
26
18
18-29
14
30+
Intermountain West
21
16
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Religious Affiliation:
White Evangelical Protestant
23
8
14
18-29
15
30+
Intermountain West
14
21
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Attendance at Religious Services:
Weekly or More Often
38
28
40
30
18-29
30+
Intermountain West
36
38
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Government Should Do More to
Protect Morality in Society
45
45
37
18-29
39
30+
Intermountain West
38
40
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Homosexuality Should Be Accepted
by Society
62
63
49
18-29
47
30+
Intermountain West
52
50
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Abortion Should Be Legal in All or
Most Cases
47
49
18-29
50
52
30+
Intermountain West
49
51
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Pew Research Center surveys
OTHER ISSUES AND VALUES
Government Should Do More to Help
Needy Americans
68
68
56
18-29
61
30+
Intermountain West
58
62
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Stricter Environmental Laws and
Regulations are Worth the Cost
65
63
18-29
58
60
30+
Intermountain West
59
61
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
The Best Way to Ensure Peace is
Through Military Strength
24
24
18-29
33
29
30+
Intermountain West
31
28
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Rather Have a Smaller Government
Providing Fewer Services
53
29
46
47
42
26
18-29
30+
Intermountain West
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
Pew Research Center & US Census surveys
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Follow What’s Going on in Government
and Public Affairs Most of the Time
57
31
56
51
52
33
18-29
30+
Intermountain West
Total
Elsewhere
2007 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey
2008 Voter Turnout by State
73
67
51
67
64
47
52
63
60
49
47
37
National Arizona Colorado
Ages 18-29
New
Mexico
Nevada
Utah
Ages 30+
US Census surveys compiled by CIRCLE
Registered to Vote
78
51
81
72
76
59
18-29
30+
Intermountain West
Total
Elsewhere
2009-2010 surveys by Pew Research Center
Results from the August 2010 UNLV/Brookings West Survey
CURRENT ISSUES AND VALUES
Things in the Country are Going in the
Right Direction
32
24
Total
21
18-29
30-39
22
40-49
23
50-64
21
65+
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Arizona’s Immigration Law
“Goes Too Far”
49
36
37
36
29
Total
18-29
30-39
40-49
25
50-64
65+
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Same-Sex Marriage Should be
Recognized by the Law as Valid
57
48
43
40
41
25
Total
18-29
30-39
40-49
50-64
65+
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Political Values on Which Millennials
Are Similar to Others
2nd Amendments rights are threatened
Government programs for the poor
undermine individual responsibility
Gone too far mixing religion & politics
Total
Ages
18-29
64
60
65
62
58
59
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Political Values on Which Millennials
Are Slightly More Liberal
We must do whatever is necessary to
protect against terrorism, even if it
means restricting civil liberties
Minorities still lack the same
opportunities as whites
If financially able, women should stay
home and take care of household
Total
Ages
18-29
50
45
47
52
44
38
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Political Values on Which Millennials
Are Significantly More Liberal
Cultural institutions should receive
government support
Reduce gap between rich and poor
even with higher taxes for wealthy
Labor unions play a positive role in our
economy
Total
Ages
18-29
61
74
51
62
50
64
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Millennials Favor More Federal
Government Involvement
Environmental protection and cleanup
Guaranteeing quality public education
Promoting renewable energy
Making affordable health care
available to everyone
Creating jobs and economic growth
Promoting the role of faith in public
life
Total
Ages
18-29
55
58
59
49
64
70
67
65
66
22
74
29
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
…But Not on Every Issue
Total
Cracking down on crime and drugs
Stopping the flow of illegal immigrants
Dealing with millions of illegal
immigrants already here
59
74
70
Ages
18-29
62
64
60
Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Vote for House of Representatives
Total for US
44 47
All adults
Intermountain West
54
52
42
37
18-29
Republican
All adults
46 48
18-29
Democrat
Sept. 2010 survey by Pew Research Center & Aug. 2010 survey by Gerstein Agne
Conclusions
• Millennial voters in the intermountain west
remain more Republican than their
counterparts elsewhere
• But they are significantly more liberal than
older generations in the region
• Their political attitudes and values are not
different from their counterparts elsewhere
• They appear to be slightly less politically
engaged than Millennials elsewhere
Political Attitudes of the
Millennial Generation in
the Intermountain West
Scott Keeter
Pew Research Center
Brookings West / UNLV
October 8, 2010