Mark Kooyman
6 min readAug 10, 2024

The Real Voter Landscape of America & Who Will Drive The Election

If you listen to the media combined with political and business leadership they paint a portrait of America that consists of…

** A domination of Age 45–65 white families with teen age kids

** Households where the male is the main income-earner

** More women staying at-home than working

** Seniors age 65+ living primary off their social security checks

** Hispanics who came across the U.S. border in the last 2–3 years

** Government-assisted Blacks living in older, urban Section 8 housing

** Unionized blue collar labor of individuals who did not get through high school

** Tech geeks dominated by GenZers who are concentrated in Silicon Valley cities

If you ask them what they think is the average household income in the U.S., they will hover in the $50K — $60K range.

When they showcase the candidates and the political rally events, they portray the American voter base as all wearing candidate T-shirts, caps and carrying around political signs.

If they are employed, they dislike their employer.

If they are not employed, there are no jobs to be filled.

The majority of Americans are in debt and Americans will never get debt-free.

That Americans spend hours upon hours upon hours in posting and reading social media.

This portrait of America is radically disengaged with reality. And yet this is the image portrayed and reinforced in nationwide politics.

Even the candidates hold it to be factual truth.

So what is the true portrait of the 336 million+ individuals who make up American Society?

We are way more diverse than the portrait painted…

** 40% of Americans are White… 60% are not… Whites in America are a minority

** 20% are Hispanic-Latino

** 13% are Black/African-American

** 10% are Asian-Indian

** 11% are a mix of 2 or more races

** 6% have non-white roots that are not Hispanic/Black/Asian-Indian

Those age 25–44 — The bulk of which is made up of Millennial and those caught between Millennials and GenZers … the Tweeners… represents the majority percentage of the American populace… 26% … more than 1 out-of-every 4 Americans.

In July 2024, Millennials accounted for 65% of the American workforce.

GenZers workers age 16–24, represent another 15% of the American workforce.

Those age 45–64 … GenXers and straggling Boomers… fill the remaining 20% of that job market — that’s it.

Those age 45–60 — the bulk of which is made up of GenXers represent 19% of the of the American populace. Essentially 1 out of every 5 Americans.

Many politicians and media view this age group as representative of the American populace.

They are representative of a group that is confronting challenges.

Some GenXers are now having to pay college tuitions for their kids… some even are helping their kids purchase their fist condo or townhouse.

A good share are about to retire and have little-to-no-plans or goals or retirement.

The marketplace overlooked GenXers and quickly jumped over to capitalize on the Millennial kids.

Finally the stage lights are focused on them.

Right now the media and politicians perceive GenXers to dominate the American voter base.

And then the media harps on workforce unions.

Currently, 9% of the American workforce is unionized and 91% is not. This wis the stat reported by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics in July 2024.

Another union stat in the report… not even 4% of Millennials are unionized and few are even aware of what “unions” do.

Let’s shift back to the age group stats…

And then there are the budget strapped seniors age 65+.

Both candidates love to show pictures of old people sitting on a front porch who “cannot afford food and healthcare.”

According to the second quarter 2024 Census release, the average household income of those age 65+ in the U.S. is $80K+ per year and after any delayed retirement fund and/or pension taxes, about $6K a month.

The average household income of Americans today is just over $115K.

Back in 2019, the average household income of Americans posted just under $88K.

That’s a 5 year gain of +30%!

Nearly 65% of Women age 16–65 work full-time. Among Millennial women age 25–44, nearly 80% of Women work full-time.

The dynamics of work in 2024?

A May 6th release from USA Today and Pew Research cites that nearly 20% of American workers work totally remote 5 days a week.

And another 35% of American workers work part-time remote having to be in the office twice a week on average.

The average drive time to work in America has dropped since pre-Covid days… In some metro areas as much as 25%.

There is one audience groups that will drive the 2024 Presidential Election… and it exists right smack in front of our faces.

The #1 Election Driver — Millennial Couples Building Families

The media and mainstream portrait of America is severely out-of-whack.

Candidates that pay for consulting and strategy from the big political advisory groups can have more fun feeding the money in a cash threader.

Few Millennials are glued to any of the news media. They do not care if something posts on FOX News, CNN or MSNBC.

The conventional media and websites they are attached to are ones about parenting, working women, house & home, entrepreneurship and sports.

A significant share of Millennials make more than $130K a year, own a home, face a significant mortgage payment of $3.5K+ a month and are very concerned about the safety of their kids … of which, about 90% are less than 10 years of age.

They don’t care much about referencng anything before 2018 when they were starting their careers and dating.

Any dialogue of “he did this” or “she said that” or “I voted for it and she voted against it” is meaningless and ignored.

Any reference to a candidates commentary made more than 12 months ago, is dismissed. Goes in one ear and out the other.

Many Millennials find the name calling offensive because they are working to set positive social exchange with their Alpha Generation kids.

They do not see skin colors as even a personal differentiator. They are champions of inclusion.

Do they aspire to be billion-trillionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffet?

No.

Millennial parents even showcase folks like Elon Musk to their kids as examples of what not to aspire to be.

Do they crave the luxury designer line brands sold at San Francisco’s Mission District, The Grove in LA, Manhattan Streets in New York, or Mall of Georgia in Bloomington?

No.

Millennials prefer to shop at locally rooted retailers and not any exclusive alternative options. They despise the masses and praise local community talent.

Millennial are driven by their desire of personalized authorship of their brand experience.

Creating the home, vacation trip, dinner get-togethers and Friday kids nights scores with their personality and foundation values.

A post I made about 5 days ago, highlights Publix as a brand that captures the Millennials and their connectivity with family and friends.

The Publix brand facilitates a great future ahead supported by valued time with family and friends. It showcases a late-30s couple with a 4 year old and 6 year old have a picnic on their screened porch.

Millennials do identify with family leave, special savings plans for college education, special real estate tax breaks, affirming women’s right of choice and acceptance of diversity programs.

In some cases, the female head of the Millennial homestead is the primary wage earner.

And these are Millennials living in Boise, Topeka, Waco and Albany as much as Millennials living in Boston, Miami, San Diego and Seattle.

One of the Presidential candidates right now is building brand equity with a positive, future forward brand vision.

And those claiming the candidate is skirting the core issues have limited understand of just who represents equity in this election.

Millennial Couples Building Families will drive this 2024 election and is the #1 voter base to secure by Election Day.

Mark Kooyman

CEO & Discovery Chief at EXPERIENCE Insight Group, Inc. In the business to discover and craft brand experiences that humans seek out and engage in.