Poll: Young adults not confident in 2026 election fairness

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(The Center Square) – Almost half of young adult voters are not confident the 2026 elections will be conducted fairly, according to a new poll.

The Center Square’s Voters’ Voice Poll found that 49% of adults ages 18-29 either have “not very much confidence” or “no confidence at all” that the 2026 midterm elections will be conducted fairly.

About 36% of adults 18-29 expressed “not very much confidence” in the fairness of the 2026 elections and 14% said they had “no confidence at all,” or 50% when combined.

The Center Square’s Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, surveyed 2,565 American voters between Oct. 2-6 on issues ranging from the economy, immigration and election integrity.

The poll revealed stark contrasts between voters in various age groups and confidence in the fairness of midterm elections.

About 60% of voters ages 30-44 said they either had a “great deal of confidence” or “some confidence�� in the fairness of the 2026 midterm elections. About 57% of voters ages 45-64 and 63% of voters ages 65 and up said the same.

Mike Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, said younger voters’ exposure to “social media cynicism” may contribute to less faith in election administration.

“The generational divide is striking,” Noble said. “Older voters came of age in a more institutional America – faith in systems like elections and media runs deeper. Younger voters, especially under 30, grew up with social media cynicism and constant narratives of dysfunction.”

There were also striking differences across partisan lines when voters were asked about the fairness of 2026 election results.

About 72% of Republican voters are “somewhat confident” or have “a great deal of confidence” about the fairness of the 2026 elections. About 47% of Democrats expressed the same levels of confidence.

Noble attributes this shift in partisan trust for election fairness to the 2024 general election wins for Republicans across the federal government.

There were also some differences between racial groups in trust of the 2026 midterm’s fairness.

Hispanic and Latino respondents expressed a similar level of distrust for election fairness as young adults. Only about 45% of Hispanic or Latino respondents expressed at least some level of confidence for the 2026 midterm elections. About 46% of Black respondents said the same compared to 64% of white respondents who had at least “some confidence” in the election’s fairness.

“Historical barriers to access, unequal voting experiences, and recent policy battles surrounding voter ID and redistricting all contribute to lower confidence among Black and Hispanic voters compared to whites,” Noble said.