Open AccessThe Role of Pensioners in the American Electorate
Author(s) -
Лебедева,
Lyudmila Gennadyevna Lebedeva,
Емельянов,
E.V. Emel'yanov
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
upravlenie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2713-1645
pISSN - 2309-3633
DOI - 10.12737/24708
Subject(s) - baby boomers , presidential election , politics , presidential system , political science , political economy , state (computer science) , demographic economics , development economics , sociology , economics , law , algorithm , computer science
The article examines fundamental demographic changes in the USA that have been shifting the electorate
and as a result - American politics; with wide gaps between the generations on key social, economic, political
issues. The US presidential elections since 1980 were dominated by baby boomers (born 1946-1964) and
prior generations, who have cast the vast majority of votes in every presidential election. The 2016 electorate
has been the most diverse in the US history due to strong growth of young generations, and especially
among Hispanic eligible voters. Millennials (born 1981–1998) and X generation (born 1965-1980) surpassed
Baby Boomers and more old generations whose choices differ significantly in many fields; but the key
problem is who really votes. The age structure of the American electorate and its influence on the election
results; the role of pensioners and those, who’ll retire in the nearest future, as voters at the federal and state
levels are in focus.