Inside the Minds of Young Santa Barbara Voters

Oftentimes, especially here in Santa Barbara, where the wealthy and the retired make up a large part of the electorate, older voices dominate discussions over politics and policy. In one regard, that can be a good thing ― age brings perspective, and perspective breeds wisdom that nurtures and protects a community. 

But in another respect, that uneven dynamic may give short shrift to the will of younger people ― those who don’t possess the same economic opportunities and freedom enjoyed by their parents and grandparents; who frequently live lives constrained by student debt, meager housing, and (especially nowadays) tenuous employment; and who may not have the spare time or mental bandwidth to attend government meetings held in the middle of the day or do the after-hours legwork necessary for meaningful civic engagement.

Earlier this month, with the 2020 presidential election around the corner (but before the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg), the Santa Barbara Independent asked the county’s young voters to share the local and national issues that matter to them most, and which presidential candidate they plan to vote for. Exactly 500 people responded to the survey, which we modeled after a Pew Research Center poll conducted earlier this year. We defined “young” the same way the Census does, those between 18 and 34 years of age.