The Most Popular Political Party of Every Generation

Some people claim we become more politically conservative as we age — it’s a common enough refrain for research papers to be written on the subject.

But recent data suggests that while it may be true for some generations, it isn’t for others. And that data comes from a longstanding expert in political polling: Gallup.

After interviewing more than 6,000 adults in the U.S., Gallup identified trends in political identification for each generation from the Silent Generation to millennials, as well as the current political identification of the adult members of the youngest cohort, Generation Z.

Here’s a look at where each generation stands now politically and how they have changed over time.

Silent Generation

Gallup defined members of the Silent Generation as people born between 1928 and 1945.

Here’s the breakdown of how they identify themselves politically in 2022 (and how that compares with 1992):

1. Republican: 39% (up from 30% three decades ago)
2. Democrat: 35% (the same as it was three decades ago)
3. Independent: 26% (down from 35% three decades ago)

Baby boom generation

Gallup defined members of the baby boom generation as people born between 1946 and 1964.

Here’s the breakdown of how they identify themselves politically in 2022 (and how that compares with 1992):

1. Republican: 35% (up from 29% three decades ago)
2. Democrat: 32% (up from 31% three decades ago)
3. Independent: 33% (down from 40% three decades ago)

Generation X

Gallup defined members of Generation X as people born between 1965 and 1980.

Here’s the breakdown of how they identify themselves politically in 2022 (and how that compares with 1992):

1. Republican: 30% (down from 32% three decades ago)
2. Democrat: 27% (up from 24% three decades ago)
3. Independent: 44% (the same as it was three decades ago)

Millennial generation

Gallup defined members of the millennial generation as people born between 1981 and 1996.

Here’s the breakdown of how they identify themselves politically in 2022 (and how that compares with 2002):

1. Republican: 21% (down from 27% two decades ago)
2. Democrat: 27% (down from 31% two decades ago)
3. Independent: 52% (up from 42% two decades ago)

Generation Z

Gallup defined members of Generation Z as people born between 1997 and 2012.

Here’s the breakdown of how they identify themselves politically in 2022:

1. Republican: 17%
2. Democrat: 31%
3. Independent: 52%

This group is too young to compare against party identification in previous decades. However, Gallup says:

“The youngest adults, those in Generation Z, are as likely as millennials to think of themselves as independents. In fact, like millennials, more describe themselves this way than identify with either political party.”

It’s too early to say whether that means Generation Z will follow the pattern of millennials.