In its second installment of the Pulse of the Voters series, The Times reached out to Gen Z voters to discuss their feelings on the upcoming presidential election, who they were supporting and what issues mattered most to them.

Adrianna Sides, a 21-year-old Wallace State Community College student originally from Prattville, Ala., said this will be her first presidential election. She said she has been doing her research on the presidential and congressional candidates, but said she felt mostly ambiguous and skeptical about the current political landscape.

“This skepticism has been influenced by past instances, such as the unfulfilled predictions of a “red wave” in the 2022 elections, which have tempered my trust in polling accuracy,” she said.

Katie Henry, a 23-year-old from Hartselle, Ala., said she felt as though congressional races played a more significant role than those for the presidency.

“I personally feel that the important races are the house and the senate seats. The presidency tends to be on a pendulum that swings right to left,” Henry said.

Each of the voters surveyed said the state of the economy and federal spending were among the issues they were most concerned. Some also said the right to abortion access and immigration would play a role in their decision come November.

Between the two major parties, a recent study from the American Survey Center found that Gen Z adults tend to favor Democrats over Republicans (32% vs. 21%). However the report showed the majority of young voters either identified as either independents or “something else” entirely.

While the majority of those who responded to The Times said they currently preferred Donald Trump over Joe Biden, they unanimously agreed that given the choice they would support a viable third-party candidate.

“I would prefer a third party candidate if they could realistically win,” Henry said.

They also agreed on their disappointment in the seemingly inevitable rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and felt both parties would benefit from supporting younger candidates.

“While I am disappointed by the lack of fresh faces and younger candidates in the nominations, I can’t say I’m entirely surprised by the outcome. After the 2020 election, it seemed inevitable that we’d witness a rematch, regardless of the potential emergence of more promising or youthful contenders. While I don’t have a specific individual I would favor, I hope for a more youthful presence in the next election cycle,” Sides said.

Patrick Camp can be reached at 256-734-2131 ext. 238