1. DIVERSE, DISILLUSIONED,
AND DIVIDED
Millennial Values and Voter Engagement
in the 2012 Election
Public
Religion Analysis by
Research Dr. Robert P. Jones, CEO
Institute Daniel Cox, Director of Research
Juhem Navarro-Rivera

2. Methodology
- The Millennial Values & Voter Engagement Survey is a joint project of
Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkley
Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs.
- Survey of 1,214 young Millennials (age 18 to 25), was conducted August
28 to September 10, 2012 and is the second wave of a two wave panel
study.
- Both surveys were conducted online utilizing Knowledge Network’s
KnowledgePanel, built from a nationally representative probability
sample of the U.S. adult population.
- The margin of error is +/- 4.3 percentage points
- Funded by a generous grant from the Ford Foundation

3. VOTER ENGAGEMENT
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 3

4. Voter Engagement by Race
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 4

5. Parental Example by Race
Younger Millennials who accompanied their parents to the voting booth as children
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 5

6. Voter Engagement by Parental Example
All Younger Millennials
Younger Millennials who
accompanied their parents
to the voting booth
Younger Millennials who
did not accompany their
parents to the voting
booth
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 6

7. Why Younger Millennials Say They Do Not Vote
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 7

8. VOTE PREFERENCE AND
POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey
8

9. 2012 Presidential Vote by Race
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 9

10. 2012 Presidential Vote by Religion
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 10

11. Millennial Vote by Parent Vote
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 11

12. Reasons for Voting for Obama/Romney
Obama Romney
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 12

13. Candidate Characteristics: Obama vs. Romney
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 13

14. Importance of Presidential Candidates
Having Strong Religious Beliefs
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 14

15. Comfort With President’s Religious Affiliation
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 15

16. EFFICACY OF DEMOCRATIC
PARTICIPATION
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 16

17. Disillusionment with Political Process
*
* Note: There is no general population benchmark available for this question
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 17

18. Importance of Voting by Race
“Voting gives people like me some say about how the government runs things”
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 18

19. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 19

20. Support for Affirmative Action by Race
In order to make up for past discrimination, do you favor or oppose programs which
make special efforts to help blacks and other minorities get ahead?
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 20

21. Support for Affirmative Action in College
Admissions by Party
Do you think blacks and other minorities should receive preference in college
admissions?
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 21

22. Reasons or Supporting Affirmative Action
Do you think preferences in college admissions and hiring should be made primarily to make
up for past discrimination, primarily to increase diversity regardless of past discrimination, or
do you think this should not be done at all?
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 22

23. Effect of Race/Gender on College
Admissions and Future Career
College: Do you think you were Career: Do you think you will be
helped or hurt in the college helped or hurt in your career
admissions process because of because of your race or gender?
your race or gender?
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 23

24. Effect of Race/Gender on Future Career
Prospects by Race
Findings from the 2012 Millennial Values and Voter Engagement Survey 24

25. DIVERSE, DISILLUSIONED,
AND DIVIDED
Millennial Values and Voter Engagement
in the 2012 Election
Public
Religion Analysis by
Research Dr. Robert P. Jones, CEO
Institute Daniel Cox, Director of Research
Juhem Navarro-Rivera