Researchers with the University of South Florida have released results from a statewide survey that measures attitudes and opinions regarding the 2020 presidential election and the current political climate.
Below are key findings:
Floridians see 2020 as a 鈥淰ery Important鈥� election: Almost 90% of Floridians surveyed say that 2020 will be 鈥淰ery Important鈥� when 鈥渃ompared to recent Presidential elections鈥�. This sentiment is equally shared by both Republicans and Democrats.
Presidential election is a significant source of stress and worry: Just over 80% agree that they are 鈥渨orried about the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election,鈥� while 56% say that the election 鈥渋s a considerable source of stress鈥� for them. Republicans and Democrats report roughly equal levels of election-related stress.
COVID-19 and the economy top the list of important issues: More than half of Floridians identified either 鈥淛obs and the Economy鈥� (28%) or the 鈥淐OVID-19 pandemic鈥� (26%) as the most important factor in their 鈥渃hoice when voting for President鈥�. The only other issue identified by more than 10% of respondents was 鈥淗ealthcare鈥� (16%). Republicans were significantly more likely to identify 鈥淛obs and the Economy鈥� as the most important issue (46%), while Democrats were more likely to say the COVID-19 pandemic (35%).
Election expected to have significant impacts: A plurality of respondents (45%) believe that their household finances will be 鈥渟ignificantly impacted by the outcome of the Presidential election鈥�, while nearly a two-thirds majority (64%) says the same about the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that the outcome will affect the COVID-19 pandemic, though majorities in both parties believe that it will (75% and 53% respectively).
A large move toward absentee voting: A plurality of respondents (43%) indicated that they would vote 鈥渂y mail-in or absentee ballot鈥�, while one-third (34%) said they would vote 鈥渋n-person on election day.鈥� (By way of comparison, according to Florida Secretary of State data, in 2016 only 28.7% of general election voters cast ballots by mail.) Others plan on voting 鈥渋n-person at an early voting location鈥� (23%). Based on the responses, Democrats are significantly more likely to vote by mail/absentee ballot, and Republicans are significantly more likely to vote in person on Election Day.
Significant concerns over foreign interference: Two-thirds of respondents indicated that they are either 鈥淰ery Concerned鈥� (27%) or 鈥淪omewhat Concerned鈥� (40%) about the possibility of 鈥渇oreign governments interfering in the 2020 Presidential election鈥�.
Some small concerns over fairness: A majority of Floridians are at least 鈥淪omewhat Confident鈥� (49%) that 鈥渢he 2020 election will be conducted fairly鈥�, though only 23% indicated that they are 鈥淰ery Confident鈥� of this, while just under a third (29%) were either 鈥淣ot Very Confident鈥� or 鈥淣ot at All Confident鈥�.
The survey of 600 Floridians was fielded Oct. 10-17, and the results are reported with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error +/- 4.
The complete survey results can be found here.