Voting remains a key measure of engagement and, in that regard, the poll offers some encouraging signs. Indeed, there is a chance that voter participation this year could exceed 70% – a level not seen in a presidential election since 1900 – as 59% of respondents said they were “very likely to vote,” 16% said they were “somewhat likely to vote” and 9% reported having already voted.
Two-thirds of Americans feel a candidate’s support for environmental issues has at least some effect on their decision whether to vote for him or her, with an even split between those who feel it has a strong effect versus some effect (both 34%). Men (38%) are significantly more inclined than women (29%) to say a candidate’s support for environmental issues has a strong effect on their voting decision.
Importantly, 90% of those polled say doing small things regularly that make the world a better place is as important as formal, organized efforts and, interestingly, 70% said they would pay 10% more in taxes every year if it meant eliminating poverty and hunger in the U.S.
To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate? Whom Will We Turn To?
Many Americans will have a fateful decision to make in coming months regarding the prospective COVID-19 vaccination – a decision complicated by some conflicting opinions and what many deem misinformation, political maneuvering and bad science.
Asked whom they would rely on most for help in deciding whether to be vaccinated, family physicians (47%) and the CDC/other medical authorities (40%) were cited by respondents most frequently as their first or second most trusted source of advice. The media (50%) and President Trump (41%) were most often cited as the least trusted sources of advice.
Commenting on these findings, Richard Tomasco, Vice President at ENGINE Insights, said, “The Tiller research confirms some patterns we have seen in our weekly Beyond COVID-19: The Pulse of the American Consumer surveys. Specifically, when it comes to vaccination, Americans are much more likely to trust their personal physician or medical experts than they are either the President or the media.”
Interestingly, the President’s COVID-19 diagnosis seems to have had a net neutral effect on the election. Fifty-five percent of poll respondents said that the President’s diagnosis has not affected their inclination to vote for him one way or the other; 24% said they were more inclined and 20% said they were less inclined.
****
Tiller, LLC is one of the nation’s leading consultancies in the creation and implementation of advocacy marketing programs for major U.S. corporations and non-profits. For a copy of the full posted questionnaire, please write us at civicengagementsurvey@tillerllc.com.
ENGINE is a global, full-service media and marketing services company that empowers clients to outperform in the present and win in the future with its vast range of marketing solutions including insights, creative, media, data and technology. Founded in 2005, ENGINE has global headquarters in New York and 16 offices across North America, the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Find out more at enginegroup.com and follow @engineworldwide.