New Jersey voters say in landslide survey results that their biggest concern is kitchen table issues such as cost of living, taxes and the economy, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll in collaboration with AARP New Jersey. Nine in 10 say accessibility to quality health care and housing affordability are at least somewhat important.
Nearly all likely voters consider affordability of property taxes (86% “very important,” 11% “somewhat important”), jobs and the economy (82% “very,” 15% “somewhat”), affordability of utility rates (81% “very,” 16% “somewhat”), and prices rising faster than their income (87% “very,” 9% “somewhat”) important to their vote to some extent.
More than nine in 10 voters ages 50 and older say all of these issues are important to their vote.
“Older voters in New Jersey consistently show up at the polls and decide elections,” said Chris Widelo, state director of AARP New Jersey. “As this poll shows, affordability – especially when it comes to property taxes – remains a key issue for this voting bloc. These voters have shown time and again that they are looking for candidates with strong plans to address the rising cost of living in New Jersey.”
Nearly all likely voters say access to quality and affordable health care (73% “very,” 19% “somewhat”) is also important to their vote. More than eight in 10 likewise say the same about making housing more affordable for all income levels (67% “very,” 20% “somewhat”) and improving the response plan for natural disasters (47% “very,” 39% “somewhat”).
Voters who are 65 or older are especially passionate about health care – nearly all say access to quality, affordable health care is important to their vote (97%). Nine in 10 voters ages 50 to 64 say the same (90%).
The state’s youngest and oldest voters consider a candidate’s position on housing affordability more important to their vote than those in between. Ninety-two percent of voters ages 18 to 34 and 92% of those 65 and older say this is “very” or “somewhat” important to their vote.
“Affordability concerns take center stage in this election,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “Voters across the board have continually expressed how important this issue is to them and maintain they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who will address affordability and cost of living in different aspects of life in New Jersey.”
Results are from a statewide poll of 795 voters contacted via live calling and texting from Oct. 3 to Oct. 17. This likely voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percentage points.
