Energy policies have been a hot topic for the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, and according to a poll it’s a subject that Millennials and older Americans strongly disagree on.

In the latest University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll, conducted Sept. 4-16, nearly half of the 2,105 U.S. residents surveyed said candidates’ views on energy issues will greatly influence their choices at the ballot box.

The poll revealed contrasting opinions among Americans concerning several key energy policies, including the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, the export of gas and issues surrounding the president's Climate Action Plan.

“Consumer perspectives on energy issues continue to track political party lines, but we’re seeing a widening gulf among older and younger Americans,” said Sheril Kirshenbaum, director of the UT Energy Poll.

The generational divide surfaces in several areas, particularly the importance of environmental protection and support for renewable forms of energy.

In the poll, Millennials, those 35 and younger, said they are more willing to pay much higher prices for energy in order to protect the environment. They are also more likely to vote for candidates who support steps to reduce carbon emissions, and two out of three favor an expansion of financial incentives for companies engaged in renewable technologies.

Kirshenbaum said a cause of the widening gulf between the age groups could be the difference in social temperament that young people grew up in.

Millennials grew up hearing more about climate change and the environment than previous generations, she said. Young people are a lot more engaged on social media, having discussions about these issues in a way that previous generations couldn’t.

“I really think our perspectives are shaped by our own experiences,” she said. “I think that’s a big part of what we see in terms of these generational differences on energy attitudes.”

For example, older Americans, those 65 and older, were a lot less likely to respond in support of the export of natural gas from the U.S. to other countries. The reason, Kirshenbaum said, could be because their generation is the most aware of the energy crisis that happened in the 1970s.

Even though respondents said energy was a key issue for the upcoming midterm elections, not many thought it was important enough for the U.S. government to spend money on.

Fewer than 2% of respondents want their tax dollars spent on energy, Kirshenbaum said.

“I think people don’t realize energy really is national security,” she said. “Energy is all of these things, but, we just haven’t gotten that discussion out in the broad public arena. As a result, it’s not even on people’s radars.”

In the long run, the UT Energy Poll could reveal where the U.S. might be headed in terms of policy because it shows what young people are focused on, she said. However, a much higher percentage of older respondents—87%—indicate they are likely to vote in the Nov. 4 election, compared with 68% of those age 35 and younger.

“The young people are probably not the ones deciding where we’re headed right now because they’re not getting out there and voting,” she said.