We asked 10-year-olds about the election. Here’s what we learned

Hearing American children discuss politics can be quite startling, especially when their views reflect the often heated debates within the country. For instance, when a child describes former President Donald Trump as “pure evil,” it highlights a level of division that may catch many Americans off guard.

A recent study for CNN revealed that children who support Democrats are driving this polarization, with many expressing that they wouldn’t be friends with someone who backs Trump. In contrast, kids in red states were more likely to spread misinformation.

The insights stem from over 40 hours of interviews commissioned by CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” which engaged 80 elementary school students from Arizona, New Jersey, and Texas—key states for the 2024 elections. With parental consent, researchers captured the kids’ candid thoughts on the presidential candidates and the electoral process.

CNN has chosen not to identify the students or the schools involved, noting that this is not a public opinion poll but rather a focused exploration of children’s political views.

Asheley Landrum, an associate professor and child development expert at Arizona State University, collaborated with Stanford political science professor Shanto Iyengar, who has previously studied polarization in teens. Landrum utilized photographs and visual prompts to ask elementary students questions about their perceptions of the political landscape.

The questions posed included which candidate they felt would ensure their safety, who seemed more honest, and who was more likely to engage in negative behavior.

The initial interviews took place in the spring when President Joe Biden was running for reelection, and the kids were in fourth grade. Follow-up interviews occurred in the fall, after Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as the Democratic nominee, with the children now in fifth grade.

By the fall, nearly two-thirds of the kids supported Harris. In Texas, responses were more evenly divided, showing a notable shift for Democrats compared to Biden's campaign. While nationwide polls indicate a closely contested race for the White House, Trump appears to have the upper hand in Texas.