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AARP Members' Opinions

2005 Maryland Legislative Issues: Voting Issues Newsletter

Research Report

Cassandra Cantave Burton, AARP Knowledge Management

August 2006


The issues that they consider important enough to influence how they vote in upcoming elections are identified in this mail survey of Maryland AARP members.

Most of those surveyed say they would be more likely to vote for candidates for state offices who support measures that would make it easier for people to...

  • stay at home and in their communities when they need long-term care (71%) while 25 percent say this would not make a difference

  • access affordable transportation services (64%) while 32 percent say this would not make a difference

  • build or modify houses that would allow them to remain in their homes and communities as they age (67%) while 28 percent say this would not make a difference

In addition to always voting, 70 percent of the surveyed members report participating politically in other ways, such as having...

  • phoned or written to a public official (39%)

  • attended a political event or town meeting (36%)

  • contributed money (35%)

  • emailed a public official (23%)

  • written a letter to the news media (16%)

This report is based on data from AARP's statewide mail survey of 2,000 Maryland AARP members conducted during October and November 2005.

Further information about this survey may be obtained by contacting Erica Dinger of AARP Knowledge Management at 202-434-6176 or edinger@aarp.org. AARP MEMBER OPINION RESEARCH