Young Voters and Mail
How to Reach Young Voters Link Physical Interaction to the Digital Experience
Reaching Gen Z voters (18-24 years old) and Millennial voters (25-39 years old) is critical for campaigns, as these voters develop lifelong voting habits. The United States Postal Service funded post-election research conducted by Summit Research following the 2020 presidential election and 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election and partnered with the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) to analyze the results and uncover valuable insights about this demographic, and in particular, how these voters view and interact with campaign outreach. Campaigns can effectively leverage these insights to reach, influence, and motivate young voters.
Gen Z and Millennial Americans Agree THAT Physical Mail Delivers Memorability & Trust
say mail is the MOST MEMORABLE
form of political advertising AND they trust direct mail they receive more than online political advertisements.1
YOUNG AMERICAN VOTERS TAKE SIMILAR ACTION AFTER RECEIVING MAIL,
With Millennials Checking Their Mailbox More Frequently
GEN Z
(18-24 years-old)
MILLENNIALS
(25-39 years-old)
of GEN Z check their mailbox 4 to 7 times a week
of MILLENNIALS check their mailbox 4 to 7 times a week2
Mail Links the Physical to the Digital
GEN Z MORE LIKELY THAN MILLENNIALS TO USE A QR CODE OR LINK2
OF GEN Z VOTERS
have visited a website based on QR Codes or links found on direct mail.
OF MILLENNIAL VOTERS
have visited a website based on QR Codes or links found on direct mail.
Informed Delivery® Recall Rates Soared with Gen Z Voters in 2021 Compared to 2020.1,2
Gen Z Voters Value Personalized Messaging in Mail
VIRGINIA VOTERS (2021)2
Percentage who agree on the importance of personalized messaging in mail:
Gen Z Voters
Millennial Voters
What people are saying
liked when they had the QR Code because I can just scan it with my phone and then it’d take you to the website so that’s easier because I wouldn’t have to type the website that’s on the postcard.”
– Young American3
(18-35 years old)
The QR Code was one of those [tools] that helped us. That was part of the toolbox we used. … to limit the amount of information we needed to put on a piece of mail. … [voters] could click and use it to get to a site that had more information. … It allowed us to increase our engagement.”4
– Campaign Consultant