A new poll by Harvard’s Institute of Politics shows that nearly 7 in 10 Americans between 18 and 29 years old prefer Democratic control of Congress. The poll also found that the number of young Americans who will “definitely be voting” in this year’s midterm elections is at its highest point in recent history. Here are some of the poll’s findings:

69 percent of young Americans prefer Democratic control of Congress.

Preference for Democratic control of Congress has grown substantially since Harvard’s last poll of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29. In fall 2017, there was a 32-point partisan gap, but today’s poll shows a 41-point gap.

37 percent of Americans under 30 indicated that they will “definitely be voting” in November’s midterm elections.

This is a marked increase from recent midterm elections. In 2014, only 23 percent of young Americans polled indicated that they would definitely vote, and in 2010, the last “wave” election, only 31 percent identified this way.

And young Democrats are responsible for nearly all of that increase in enthusiasm.

51 percent of Democrats polled reported that they will “definitely” vote in November – a 9-percentage point increase since November 2017. Meanwhile, only 36 percent of young Republicans said the same.

At this point in the 2014 election cycle, 28 percent of Democrats and 31 percent of Republicans indicated that they would “definitely” be voting. In the spring of 2010, 35 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of Republicans held a similar interest in voting.

It's no surprise that young Americans are increasingly identifying with the Democratic Party.

60 percent of voters aged 18-29 voted for Doug Jones in the Alabama special election.

In the Virginia gubernatorial election, Ralph Northam won 72 percent of the vote in precincts adjacent to college campuses, and turnout in those precincts went up 8 percent.  

Young voters know they have the power to decide whether we go forward or backward on college affordability, health care, climate change, economic mobility, women’s rights, workers’ rights, immigrant rights, and more.

And they know the Democratic Party shares their values on these issues.