Misconceptions about millennials pervade politics and business, says pollster and author Kristen Soltis Anderson, including the idea that they don’t vote.

But understanding this generation is becoming increasingly important for both politicians and businesses, says Anderson, co-founder of Echelon Insights and author of “The Selfie Vote.”

“You have to understand millennials from a corporate perspective because they’re changing a lot of society’s institutions,” she says. “They’re also beginning to vote. So we’re now in an era where millennials seem quite eager to make their voices heard.”

Anderson, who’ll address the 2018 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, examines societal trends and how they affect consumers’ decision-making, from their politics to their purchases.

She’s particularly interested in the millennial generation—of which she’s a member—and how America’s shifting demographics could affect future elections.

“The world is changing quickly,” Anderson says. “There’s a lot of technological change that influences how we connect with one another. We have changes with culture, whether it’s the rising diversity we see in America or changing norms around religion and family. These are things that millennials embody.”

This CUNA News Podcast episode is the second in a five-part weekly series with GAC speakers and personalities, including:

• Teacher and motivational speaker Gian Paul Gonzalez (Jan. 25) 
• Unconventional marketer Scott Stratten (Feb. 8).
• Political analyst Amy Walter (Feb. 15).
• GAC emcee Antonio Neves (Feb. 22).

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.