Election 2024: Survey Results
We asked Chicagoans: What do you want to know about the electoral process?
From Aug. 15 to Sept. 10, 2024, City Bureau’s Chicago Documenters asked 44 Chicagoans to tell us about their top policy concerns, their feelings around voting, where they get their news and how presidential politics have affected them Here’s what they had to say
Who participated in our survey
Age
Range: 17-74 (average: 44)
31% Boomers, 16% Gen X, 36% Millennial, 16% Gen Z
Gender
Male: 29% (13)
Female: 57% (25)
Location
Nonbinary: 11% (5) South or West side residents
North Side residents Cook or DuPage county suburbs
Civic Engagement & Voting
2020 - 202282% participate in their communities or civic matters
The most popular activities were taking part in a community or organizing group, volunteering for non-political groups, volunteering for candidates, signing online petitions and attending public meetings
Race
graduates
high school diplomas
some college
associate’s degree
9 in 10
have voted in the past four years
82% voted in the 2020 presidential election 66% voted in the November 2022 midterm election
73% voted in the April 2023 municipal election
11% did not vote
Election 2024: Survey Results
What national issues do you care about?”
Ranked the economy, inflation, jobs and taxes among their top issues 50%
39%
Mentioned foreign policy, military spending, and the Israel-Palestine war
34% cited civil rights as a key issue other top issues: abortion and reproductive rights (26%), housing (24%), health care (24%) and climate change/environmental issues (21%)
“Do
you remember a time when you’ve been impacted by a president’s decision?”
43% reiterated the impact of COVID-19 stimulus checks, PPP loans and unemployment support.
23% mentioned COVID restrictions, mostly in criticism of lockdown protocols and vaccines 18% said they couldn’t remember anything
“What do you need more information about?”
Other responses: CPS governance, entrepreneurship opportunities, city services, legal resources, becoming a delegate, student loans, family resources, policing budgets, office terms, economic development, homebuyer resources, homelessness, helping the poor and local elected officials
other mentions:
student loan pauses/erasures, Affordable Care Act, arming Israel, Reagan eliminating Pell grants, the Civil Rights Act, Clinton welfare reform/loss of daycare services, invasion of Iraq, 1989 immigration amnesty, child tax credit
“Are you happy with the way President Biden has governed the country?”
“He has continued to give billions to fund genocide while people in this country are suffering. So no, I don’t think he’s been successful as a president ”
“Biden erased $22,000 in student loan debt from me.”
“Biden was hampered by coming into the White House after [Trump], who wanted to be a king, and by the pandemic
Considering that, he did an incredible job ”
“There are always marginal wins, but it is not the transformational approach I want to see ”
“One person doesn’t govern alone We have a divided and contentious situation where neither party is able to effectively set in motion what their constituents want.”
“Labor is definitely his best performance His appointees to the Labor Board were very good ”
“There were a lot of broken promises, and our economy is in a bad state. I’ve been on the job market for eight months. Gas is high, food is high, and I can’t say any good things about him.”
“He has a lot of accomplishments He has lowered the cost of families’ everyday expenses. He rescued the economy to change the course of the pandemic.”
“I feel like Democrats just use the ‘I’m not as bad as Trump’ thing, and that means they don’t actually say much about what they’re going to do. I feel like they don’t do any of their campaign promises.”
I give him a little credit for passing the infrastructure bill, even though it’s still not enough.”
Election 2024: Survey Results
Will you vote in the November election?” 68% will vote
Reasons for voting:
A responsibility to past generations who fought for the right to vote
Voting gives you the right to complain
Anti-Trump vote
Civic duty
Casting a third-party vote in hopes of dismantling two-party system
Reasons to not vote:
Illinois is a blue state
Disillusioned with the electoral college
Continued attacks on Palestine
“I don’t think it matters. I feel helpless with my voice, and I feel unheard.”
“How do
you feel about voting in November?” feel hopeful, excited or good
feel nervous, worried or anxious
“Do you think your choice will have an impact on your life?”
yes
Reasons: Reproductive rights, social security and retirement, visa access, taxes, threat to democracy 16% no
Reasons: They don’t have enough information, or don’t feel like the issues affect them personally.
feel ambivalent, angry, depressed or frustrated
have not had issues voting
cited issues with the voting process itself: long lines, polling station disorganization or accessibility issues
found the lack of information, especially on local races, challenging
5 in 10
feel the candidates’ stances and policies are unclear and hard to find
“Where do
Election 2024: Survey Results
Editorial Director Ariel Cheung
ariel@citybureau.org
MSNBC, Rachel Maddow, Al Jazeera, Electronic Intifada, The TRiiBE, Block Club, legacy media
Post, FOX News, random mailers, legacy media
“I trust independent news outlets that don’t have corporate donors.”
“What should journalists know about you or your neighborhood?”
23% noted housing needs, including the high cost, increased property taxes and people being pushed out of their neighborhoods due to a lack of affordability
18% noted increased violence, including on public transportation and in the community in general
12% noted the need for more grocery stores in their neighborhoods, and nearly as many said there was a need for more businesses
Other issues mentioned: Gentrification, investment, medical resources, vacant land, job opportunities, immigration, pot holes and green space