Elections
As Elections Looms, Boomer+ Voters Starting to Decide on Candidates
Over 80 Percent of Boomers+ More Likely To Vote For Candidates Who Support Protecting Consumers’ Privacy / News Release
October 2, 2006
With the mid-term elections quickly approaching, Americans aged 42 and older (boomer+ voters) are paying close attention to where candidates stand on the issues of most interest and concern to them, and are increasingly decided on who they intend to support. The series of "AARP Election Watch: Pulse of a Generation" opinion tracking surveys show that in just the past three weeks of polling, 11 percent more boomer+ voters have decided who they will vote for in the U.S. House of Representatives and 8 percent more have decided in their U.S. Senate races.
"In just the last few weeks we are seeing the boomer plus vote beginning to decide on the candidates they support," said David Sloane, Senior Managing Director of Government Relations for AARP. "Voters are learning where their candidates stand on the issues and beginning to make decisions."
In the last three weeks of polling, the percentage of respondents undecided on how they will vote in U.S. House of Representatives races dropped from 70 percent to 59 percent. The same is true of U.S. Senate races with those undecided dropping from 60 percent to 52 percent.
AARP also found that the issue of consumer privacy has become one of considerable interest to the highly engaged and active voting population of Americans 42 and older. The fourth in the weekly series of surveys, released today, found that when given the choice, the vast majority, 83 percent, of all respondents are more likely to vote for candidates for both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who support protecting consumers' privacy. This priority increases with age as AARP found that Americans ages 51 and older (47% ages 51-60 and 49% ages 61+) report they are very likely to vote for a candidate who supports protecting consumers' privacy.
Despite the high level of importance that Americans age 42 and older place on this issue, less than half of them (45%) have been made clear on where their candidates stand on protecting their credit and financial privacy. In fact, less than one in ten (9%) stated that they were very clear and 33 percent said that they were either not at all clear or don't know where their candidates stand.
"Americans are increasingly aware of how vulnerable their credit and financial privacy can be and are looking to their elected officials to provide leadership and action in this critical area," said Sloane.
While the majority of those surveyed aren't clear on where their candidates stand on protecting their privacy, they certainly want to see this remedied before Election Day. Over eighty percent of Americans 42 and older want candidates in their districts and/or states to address the issue of protecting their credit and financial privacy. This number is particularly high among voters age 51-60 with 88 percent calling for their candidates to address the issue.
"Americans boomer age and older are the most likely of any age group to be registered to vote, to vote regularly, and to be the most interested in this year's election," said Sloane. "Candidates need to address the issues of importance to this key constituency - including that of protecting consumers' privacy.
For AARP Voter Guides, additional details about the issues, or to get involved in this debate, visit www.aarp.org/issues.
The full "AARP Election Watch: Pulse of a Generation" election survey can be found at: http://www.aarp.org/research/legis-polit/elections/pulse_2006.html
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.