Economy, COVID Pandemic Are Top Issues, Voter Survey Finds
In the pre-election VoteCast survey, 53% said the coronavirus pandemic is not at all under control. The economic impact of the crisis also factored heavily into voters' decisions.
The New York Times:
Exit Polls Showed The Vote Came Down To Covid-19 Versus The Economy
Reflecting a pervasive pessimism, nearly two-thirds of voters said they believed the country was heading in the wrong direction, according to an Associated Press canvass of those who had cast ballots — and those voters overwhelmingly picked Mr. Biden. And while Mr. Trump had attempted to focus the campaign on anything other than the pandemic, it remained a defining issue: More than four in 10 voters said it was the most important problem facing the country, far more than any other issue. (Medina and Russonello, 11/3)
The Washington Post:
As The Coronavirus Continues To Spread, Covid-19 Trails The Economy As Top Issue For Voters, Exit Polling Shows
The virus that has confined many Americans to their homes for much of 2020 trailed the economy as the leading issue for voters, who cast ballots in huge numbers by mail and in person, early exit polls showed Tuesday. About 2 in 10 voters said the pandemic that has left more than 232,000 Americans dead and upended life around the globe was the most important issue on their minds as they selected a president and other officials to lead the United States out of its more than nine-month public health crisis. About the same number cited racial inequality, according to the data collected by Edison Research, a consortium of television networks. (Bernstein and Achenbach, 11/3)
NPR:
Voter Survey: U.S. Is On Wrong Track, COVID-19 Not Under Control
Almost two-thirds of Americans say the country is on the wrong track, a majority disapprove of the job President Trump is doing and more than half do not think the COVID-19 pandemic is under control, according to early data from AP VoteCast. VoteCast is not an exit poll. It is a massive set of pre-election polls that runs up through when voting closes Tuesday. VoteCast is conducted nationally and in key states and surveys some 140,000 voters. By comparison, a statistically significant and rigorously conducted national poll typically surveys about 1,000 people. We will be updating with results through the night. (Montanaro, 11/3)
Also —
ABC News:
Managing The Psychological Effects Of The 2020 Election
For many Americans already coping with heightened stress levels because of COVID-19, the 2020 presidential election is amplifying that anxiety and uncertainty. About 68% of U.S. adults said the presidential election is a significant source of stress in their lives, up from 56% who said so in 2016, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association. (Safai, 11/3)
