Young voters say they don't feel represented, concerned about wages, costs

May 4—When it was time to get their own place, Maxx Amos and his girlfriend saw rent prices and went a different route.

They bought a camper.

Amos, a 21-year-old Sharpsville resident and EMT at Ascension St. Vincent, is making payments on it instead of renting. It'll be paid off sooner than a home, payments are cheaper and will give the couple some equity. It's also mobile.

The price of, well pretty much everything, is what prompted Amos to go the camper route.

"I feel like everybody is paying a lot of money, and I don't know where it's all going," he said.

As a first-time voter, it's an issue Amos thinks about a lot.

"I think it's ludicrous you have to have three or four people working to afford a house or a family," he said.

Amos is part of the youngest generation of voters. It's a voter bloc that could sway the November presidential election one way or another.

And many of them say they feel unheard. That was the overarching sentiment among those the Tribune spoke to this spring.

On voting

One of the first things Karson Parrott did when he turned 18 was register to vote. Now 19 and a student at Indiana University, he's looking forward to November.

"I'm extremely excited to vote," Parrott said. "You hear about voting since you're 12 years old, and you have to wait until you're 18."

Though he will be in Bloomington, Parrott plans on coming home to vote in person.

It'll be a excuse to see family, but more than that, he said there's some confusion among him and his friends about mail-in and absentee voting and how it's changed.

Seth Sorrell, also 19, voted in the 2022 midterms, but this is his first presidential election.

"I do feel there is a lot on my shoulders to make the right choice," he said. "It's kind of saddening that my first time is in this political landscape."

Abigale Ward will be 18 by November. She's looking forward to voting in person.

"I was so upset that Biden got in," she said. "I'm really happy about that (getting to vote), because I'll have a say."

Ward wore a bedazzled Trump hat during her Zoom interview with the Tribune.

On the candidates

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 2024 presidential election will be between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

"I'm not really excited about either candidate," said Sam Scimia, a 24-year-old Kokomo resident. "These aren't the two I'd pick in an ideal world."

Scimia, a Democrat, intends to vote for Biden. He's optimistic that with another four years the Democrats can get more done.

However, Scimia did not give the current president blanket approval. He questioned Biden's economic vision and the administration's student loan efforts.

Still, though, Republican policies aren't enough to flip Scimia.

"I just can't get behind them on their stances of abortion and separation of church and state," he said.

For Parrott, the age of the candidates raises concern.

"I'm not really excited to vote for either of the people who are going to be on the ballot in November," he said.

Parrott has a grandfather who he helps from time to time. His grandfather is around the same age as Trump and Biden. It's made the young voter wonder.

"Somebody's got to be doing things for them," Parrott said.

He also doubts either candidate can relate to people his age.

"I hate to break it to those guys, but how our generation grew up is different," Parrott said. "There is no way they can get educated on this. We need someone younger."

Sorrell intends to vote for Trump if he's the candidate on the ballot.

"If Trump is not the candidate, I'm not voting presidential," he said.

A Trump win in November would make him just the second nonconsecutive term president.

"That would be historic for me as someone who likes U.S. history," Sorrell said.

Amos said he'll likely vote for Robert Kennedy Jr.

"I wish there were more choices," he said.

On representation

Overwhelmingly, those interviewed for this story said they do not feel represented in federal politics.

"What is the incentive for young people to vote?" Scimia said. "I don't think it's changing anytime soon. I don't feel represented."

Scimia is an HR generalist at BorgWarner. He said there is a need for good, young leaders.

It's a sentiment echoed by Parrott.

"The best thing they could do to give the younger generation hope is getting younger people into office," he said. "They're so much older than us. They grew up different from us. That is the biggest disconnect."

Ward too feels left out.

"People think our values and opinions aren't important enough," she said.

Scimia said the political environment needs to be one that encourages younger people to get involved.

"I think we all need to keep our eyes out for the next age of leaders," he said. "If we don't, we're going to get whoever runs and makes the most amount of noise."

Still though, those who spoke to the Tribune said they feel optimistic about the future. Parrott is confident in his generation.

"The world and economy are set up to boom as some of the 19 year olds, 21 year olds, 25 year olds get their families going," he said. "I have a lot of faith in my generation."

On the issues

Sorrell is a part-time machinist and attends Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo.

He's also a published poet and has video editing, marketing and social media skills. Sorrell calls it skills stacking.

When he was younger, he came across the concept of a Renaissance man through the lead singer of Tool, Maynard Keenan. A Renaissance man is someone who has a wide range of skills.

Sorrell hopes dabbling in a little bit of everything makes him prepared for whatever the future brings.

"If one of them doesn't work out, I have three others I can pursue," he said.

Future opportunities and the economy are important to the Kokomo resident.

"When I see the wages not keeping up with prices, it's concerning," Sorrell said. "It makes me concerned with what my opportunities will be."

Still, Sorrell said he's excited for the future and what opportunities lie ahead, as well as the jobs that don't exist yet.

The economy, wages and the cost of living came up time and again in conversation with young voters.

"I'd probably worry about more things if I could afford more," Amos said. "I feel like everybody should get paid a fair wage."

Legalizing marijuana, taking care of veterans and supporting small businesses were other issues he mentioned. Amos' father was a veteran. His mom owns a spa in Kokomo.

The economy is a key issue for Scimia, too. He worries how younger people will survive, given mortgage rates and how home ownership isn't obtainable to a large swath of people.

Parrott said any candidate who gets behind student loans could motivate the younger voting base.

"There's a good chance that would sway younger people," he said.

Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.