How Do Young Men Participate in Civic Life?

Young Men Research Project (YMRP)’s May survey polled young men ages 18-29 in the U.S. about the ways in which they engage politically beyond voting. The question specifically asked: 

Some people participate in politics in various ways other than voting, while others do not. Which of the following, if any, have you done in the last 6 months? (Check all that apply)

We find that nearly two in three young men (65%) have not participated in any of the listed activities. After “none of the above,” the most common form of engagement is posting about politics on social media. While the survey did not ask about specific platforms, this likely includes Instagram stories, Twitter/X posts, TikTok videos, and other popular channels used by this demographic. There is a significant dropoff from here: one in ten young men report participating in a rally or protest, about 8% report donating to a candidate, political party or organization, seven percent say they’ve contacted an elected official, and just six percent say they’ve volunteered for a candidate, party, or other political organization.

Age and Education Gaps

Unsurprisingly, younger respondents (born between 2003-2007) show lower participation rates compared to their older counterparts (born between 1995-2022). Approximately three in four (74%) report not engaging in any of these activities, 15 percent report posting about politics on social media, and just three percent say they’ve contacted an elected official.

College graduates demonstrate significantly higher engagement rates overall. Less than half (49%) report no participation in any of the listed options, and one third say they have posted about politics on social media. Among college graduates, 16 percent have attended a rally or protest, and one in ten report attending a town hall.

Partisan Differences

Among Democrats, the percentage of those who have NOT engaged in any activity is 53 percent (slightly more Democrats engage in political activities). 26 percent of young Democrats have posted about politics online, while participation rates for other activities remain largely consistent with overall averages, showing slight increases across the board.

For self-identifying Republicans, the inactivity rate stands at 63 percent. Social media posting matches Democrats at 26 percent, while the lowest common activities are contacting an elected official (6%) and attending town halls (6%). In contrast, non-affiliated young men are less likely to engage in political activity.