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Florida's 50+ Population Speaks Out: An Assessment of Important Election Issues

AARP Member Opinion Research

AARP conducted a May 2004 mail survey of its members in the state of Florida, exploring what issues are important to these members and how they will affect their voting decisions.

Key findings include the following:

  • Eighty-nine percent of respondents report they are likely to vote in the November 2004 general election. One-third of respondents (33%) say they are likely to vote in the Democratic primary, and 37% report they are likely to vote in the Republican primary.
  • More than three in four (77%) are in favor of allowing people ages 50-64 who have no health insurance to purchase coverage through the Medicare program at an affordable monthly premium.
  • Approximately 56% strongly favor and 24% somewhat favor the government making it legal to purchase prescription drugs outside of the United States.
  • Nearly six in ten (58%) believe that Social Security has only minor problems that can be fixed with slight changes to the current system.
  • Two-thirds strongly (53%) or somewhat (14%) support repealing the law passed in 2003 that increased basic local telephone rates; 63% report they are more likely to vote for state and national candidates who support repealing this law.

A random sample of 1,613 AARP members age 50 and older in the state of Florida completed the survey. For more information, contact Gretchen Straw at 202-434-6334. (26 pages)