Should marijuana be legalized in Minnesota? Vaccinations and masks required by schools? At this moment, would you say that you are more hopeful or fearful about the future of America?
During the 12-day run of the 2021 Minnesota State Fair, the Center for Youth Voice conducted the first annual “Minnesota Youth Voice Poll” to highlight the political and social opinions of young people ages 13-25.
As an added benefit, students who took our poll gained hands-on experience with voting -- from stepping into the privacy carrel to filling out the anonymous ballot to submitting their ballot into an actual voting machine. This is important because one reason young people give for not voting when they turn 18 is not wanting to feel stupid or make a mistake.
784 young people stopped by our booth and took the time to share their opinions, which are shared below:
Minnesota Youth Voice Poll Results
Where do you live?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Twin Cities Metro |
516 |
68.8%
|
| Greater Minnesota |
196 |
25.0% |
| Other State |
51 |
6.5% |
| No response |
21 |
2.7% |
What is your age?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| 13 |
149 |
19.0% |
| 14 |
77 |
9.8% |
| 15 |
100 |
12.8% |
| 16 |
117 |
14.9% |
| 15 |
107 |
13.6% |
| 18 |
47 |
6.0% |
| 19 |
33 |
4.2% |
| 20 |
45 |
5.7% |
| 21 |
26 |
3.3% |
| 22 |
14 |
1.8% |
| 23 |
16 |
2.0% |
| 24 |
15 |
1.9% |
| No Response |
38 |
4.8% |
What is your gender?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Male |
286 |
36.5% |
| Female |
452 |
57.7% |
| Other |
20 |
2.6% |
| Prefer not to say |
26 |
3.3% |
What is your ethnicity?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| African American/Black |
28 |
3.6% |
| American Indian/Native |
3 |
0.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander |
44 |
5.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino |
16 |
2.0% |
| White |
612 |
78.1% |
| Two or more |
31 |
4.0% |
| Prefer not to say |
45 |
5.7% |
Should Minnesota allow the recreational use of marijuana for those aged 21 and over?**
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
450 |
57.4% |
| No |
297 |
37.9% |
| No Response |
37 |
4.7% |
Should more state funding be dedicated to building high-speed internet connections in Greater Minnesota?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
597 |
76.1% |
| No |
144 |
18.4% |
| No Response |
43 |
5.5% |
Which type of school participation would you prefer this fall?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Completely in person |
532 |
67.9% |
| Hybrid |
206 |
26.3% |
| Completely virtual |
25 |
3.2% |
| No Response |
21 |
2.7% |
Should students in Minnesota school districts be REQUIRED to get the COVID vaccine?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
439 |
56.0% |
| No |
324 |
41.3% |
| No Response |
21 |
2.7% |
Should wearing masks be REQUIRED in Minnesota schools?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
407 |
51.9% |
| No |
350 |
44.6% |
| No Response |
27 |
3.4% |
Should classes on racial/cultural/ethnic studies be REQUIRED in Minnesota schools?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
568 |
72.4% |
| No |
197 |
25.1% |
| No Response |
19 |
2.4% |
Should Minnesota ban "conversion therapy" (the practice of trying to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity?**
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
569 |
72.6% |
| No |
173 |
22.1% |
| No Response |
42 |
5.4% |
Should students in Minnesota schools be REQUIRED to take a personal finance class to graduate?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
597 |
76.1% |
| No |
166 |
21.2% |
| No Response |
21 |
2.7% |
Should elementary students in Minnesota school districts be REQUIRED to learn cursive writing?**
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Yes |
293 |
37.6% |
| No |
462 |
58.9% |
| No Response |
29 |
3.7% |
At this moment, what are your feelings about the future of America?
| |
Responses |
Percentage |
|---|
| Optimistic |
69 |
8.8% |
| Hopeful |
153 |
19.5% |
| Unsure |
332 |
42.3% |
| Anxious |
201 |
25.6% |
| No Response |
29 |
3.7% |
**Indicates questions taken directly from the 2019 Minnesota Legislature's survey - with the interest in comparing responses between youth and adults.