Michigan Voters 50+ Poised to Shape Key Statewide Races as Affordability, Social Security, and Health Care Drive Concerns

A new AARP Michigan voter survey finds that voters age 50-plus are expected to play a decisive role in one of the nation's most competitive battleground states. Eighty-six percent of voters age 50-plus say they are extremely motivated to vote, compared with 71% of voters under age 50. At the same time, nearly half (49%) of voters age 50-plus report being worried about their personal financial situation.

Affordability remains the dominant issue driving votes in Michigan. Thirty-eight percent of voters rank rising prices and affordability among their top two voting issues, making them the most frequently cited issues overall. Groceries are the leading affordability concern, followed by health care costs, gasoline prices, and utility bills. Among voters age 50-plus, health care costs are the second-largest affordability concern after groceries.

Issues that directly affect older Michiganders rank especially high among voters 50-plus. More than 8 in 10 say Social Security (86%) is extremely or very important when deciding how to vote. Health care costs (78%), rising prices for everyday essentials (78%), Medicare (77%), policies that help older adults live independently at home as they age (72%), and prescription drug costs (65%) also rank as major concerns.

The survey also highlights broad support among voters age 50-plus for policies that strengthen retirement security and support family caregivers. Ninety-three percent say they would be more likely to support a candidate who ensures workers receive the Social Security benefits they earned, while 86% favor expanding Medicare's ability to negotiate prescription drug prices. Strong majorities also support policies that assist unpaid family caregivers and protect Social Security from benefit cuts.

Beyond federal issues, Michigan voters 50-plus express support for several state policy proposals. Three in 4 (75%) support allowing more accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to help address affordable housing needs for older adults, caregivers, and families, while 63% support stronger state oversight of new data center development. On consumer protection, 70% favor either banning cryptocurrency ATMs or imposing stronger regulations to help prevent fraud.

Family caregiving continues to be an important reality for Michigan's older voters. Half of voters age 50-plus identify as current or former family caregivers, and 59% say Social Security is or will be a major source of household income. These findings underscore the importance of policies that support financial security, caregiving, and independent living as Michigan voters head toward Election Day.

Methodology

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) to conduct a survey of Michigan voters. The survey interviewed 877 likely voters statewide from August 9 to 11, 2026. Interviews were conducted via live interviewer on cell phone (40%) and landline (15%), as well as SMS-to-web (45%). The sample was randomly drawn from the Michigan voter list. For more information, contact Kate Bridges at kbridges@aarp.org . For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.