Epluribus LLC, the creators of the MOXY™ online social ecosystem released a new study showing that undecided voters have a clear perception of each party’s strengths when it comes to specific social issues. It also shows that jobs and the economy is visibly the most important issue overall and that concerns about COVID-19 are less prominent.
The study fielded one-thousand two-hundred sixty-five (1,265) respondents of eligible but undecided voters (Swing Voters) in the United States (U.S.) between September 27 and October 26, 2020. The sample was calibrated to represent accurately the voting population with stratification by age group and ethnicity/race within each of eight key swing states – Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. The responses were fielded online by qualified double-verified respondents to ensure accuracy.
Among twenty-two issues, which ranged widely, Respondents ranked the following five at the top, in order of importance: (1) Economy/Jobs, (2) Healthcare & Insurance Costs, (3) COVID-19/Pandemic Management, (4) Public Safety/Law & Order, (5) Lower Taxes for Middle Class.
The ranking of these issues shifted dramatically when Respondents were asked to identify which ticket (Democratic or Republican) is better-suited to address these issues. For example, when Respondents were asked to rank issues according to Biden-Harris’ ability to address them, COVID-19/Pandemic Management ranked number one out of 22 issues, whereas Trump-Pence’s ability to address this issue ranked 19th out 22 issues. And for the Trump-Pence ticket, Respondents ranked their ability to address the Stock Market first, whereas Biden-Harris’ ability to address this issue ranked 21st out of 22 issues.
Economy/Jobs received the largest number of top rankings overall when measured as both weighted average and as the most important issue on a one to five scale. Additionally, Economy/Jobs received the largest number of top rankings (five) when Respondents were asked about the Trump-Pence ticket’s ability to address key issues of importance.
According to Epluribus LLC’s founder, César M Melgoza “the most pivotal question in this general election is which ticket independents and undecided party-affiliated voters will choose. The Biden campaign’s heavy emphasis on the pandemic could be a miscalculation, especially as perceived by undecided voters and those younger voters who’ve shown some reluctance to participate. As is often the case, the economy and jobs take priority over just about any other issue and this study reveals the perception that Trump is seen as more adept at creating jobs.”
The wealth of insights gleaned from this study is tremendous and examines issues across key swing states, party affiliation, and key demographic subgroups. In particular, variations among each of the eight states point to key areas of sensitivity that are localized in nature. Those interested in the underlying data tables for further study or for augmentations to the study are encouraged to inquire by emailing info@epluribus.live.
The full study is available to members of the MOXY social ecosystem which is free of charge via the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store as well as via the website. Non-members can access an executive summary of the report by visiting the Spotlight link in the company’s website at moxy.live.
