The Metro: Why Detroit’s youngest voters stay engaged

By: Cary Junior II

4 November 2025 at 20:15

In the 12 years since the city of Detroit declared bankruptcy, a new generation of voters came of age.

A sizeable portion of Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—are now old enough to cast their ballots in Tuesday’s election. That group in 2022 voted at a higher rate in their first midterms than Millennials, Gen X, and likely Boomers when they were the same age, making them a relatively more civically engaged cohort.

As we approach a different kind of off year election, when the keys to the future of Detroit are up for grabs, just how engaged is Gen Z in local politics?

Guests:

Imani Foster – Communication lead with 482forward, a coalition that supports education in Detroit.
Jonathan Shepard – Film marketing and journalism student at Wayne State University and the multimedia manager for the the school’s newspaper.
Sedrick Huff – Policy manager at the Eastside Community Network.

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