Keywords: deliberative polling, young people, lasting effects, opinion changes

This paper investigates the long-term effects of deliberation among first-time voters who participated in America in One Room: The Youth Vote, a national deliberative poll held in July 2024. Organized by the Deliberative Democracy Lab, this initiative brought together over 400 young voters from diverse backgrounds to discuss key policy issues, including climate change, social media regulation, and energy independence. To evaluate the lasting impact of deliberation and assessment on voting intention on participants’ attitudes and behaviors, two follow-up surveys were conducted: one before the 2024 election and one after the election.

The findings reveal some persistent opinion changes in participants’ perspectives and a sustained influence of deliberation on their policy preferences and civic engagement. Key results include an increased commitment to bipartisan solutions for energy independence and environmental protection, as well as nuanced views on social media regulation. Participants demonstrated heightened awareness of the trade-offs in implementing AI-driven moderation and restrictions on youth social media usage, maintaining a strong preference for educational and empowering solutions over regulatory approaches.

Additionally, the surveys highlight how deliberation reinforced participants’ likelihood to vote and engagement in civic activities, with many reporting greater confidence in discussing complex policy issues. This paper provides critical insights into the enduring effects of deliberative engagement among young voters, offering valuable implications for fostering informed and participatory democracies.