The 2022 election was predicted to sway heavily in republicans’ favor… but the “red wave” never came.
Officials did not account for one critical factor: Gen Z. By far the most progressive generation, Gen Z helped vote in governor-elect Katie Hobbs as well as deny the reelection of three Maricopa Superior Court judges.
Judge Rusty Crandell, Judge Stephen Hopkins and Judge Howard Sukenic are the three judges that will not retain their positions after this year’s voting. The 2022 Arizona general election publicity pamphlet scores judges’ “job performance requirement” on a voting scale.
Judge Crandell received two votes saying he does not meet the standard, Judge Hopkins received 15 and Judge Sukenic received 9. Their terms will come to an end on January 2 at 12:01 a.m., according to the Maricopa County Superior Court.
The last time a single judge lost a retention election was in 2014 and this is the first year three judges got voted off at once in Arizona.
The new judge positions will be selected by Hobbs.
Arizona is historically a republican state, yet in recent years has become a swing state as seen in the 2020 presidential election. This increase in democrat voting follows the trend across the country with progressivism becoming widely more popular amongst younger voters, according to the Pew Research Center.
Polls in Arizona this year showed that over a quarter of participating voters ranged between the ages of 18 to 34, according to Sam Almy, a data analyst for Uplift Campaign, a digital media organization targeted towards Democratic campaigns and progressive outlets.
In a study by NORC at the University of Chicago, 2 out of 5 Gen Z participants claimed that their race or ethnicity played a significant role in their lives. Because of that, they reflected these priorities in how they wish to be represented and treated by officials in political positions.
The impact that young voters have had in the shifting views to states across the country is a result of their participation during election season.
Elizabeth Scholz, J.D, 58, is an instructor at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University.
“Gen Z, as any other generation, has tremendous voting significance – if they use their vote. Key to that, I think, is educating them on how their votes impact their current and future daily lives and the future.” said Scholz, a former defense attorney and prosecutor.
As of this year, 10.8% of Gen Z individuals in the United States are 18 and older. They push to continue in a more progressive swing within the government, but this can only continue to happen with initiatives to bring more young people to vote.
Before the election, news organizations across the country claimed a ‘red-wave’ was coming, but the election showed otherwise.
This historic takeover has been recognized beyond the individual states. President Joe Biden took time to recognize the change young voters made within this year’s midterm elections.
“We saw extraordinary results in these midterms elections that no one thought possible. More Independents voted for Democrats and Republicans in this election. Young people, you voted at historic numbers again, just as you did two years ago. Young people voted to continue addressing the climate crisis, gun violence, personal rights and freedoms, student debt relief, all those things which you stepped up to do,” said President Biden at a Democratic National Committee Event on Nov. 11.
Maxwell Frost, a 25 year-old out of Florida, was recognized as the first member of Gen Z elected into congress. With how politically active Gen Z is, the next election cycle will surely yield more of this generation in political positions.
Contact the reporter at amonto28@asu.edu.
