publicwise.org/research ● Introductions○ HeadCount & Public Wise ● Research Presentation ● Questions AGENDA
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EQUITY IN DEMOCRACY $7.5 MILLION Since its creation in 2019, Public Wise has distributed more than $7.5 million to local, state, and national partners on the front lines of the fight to increase voter participation and equitable representation in our democracy.
Our work has focused on building trust in our democracy, with a particular emphasis on building power in communities that are traditionally disenfranchised: Black, brown, LGBTQIA+, and young Ourpeople.goal is not to work cycle to cycle but to work generation to generation. BUILD TRUST + BUILD POWER
PUBLICWISE.ORG/RESEARCH
RESEARCH QUESTIONS ● What key issues are top of mind for young Americans? ● What do young Americans think about important issues? ● Are young Americans motivated to vote in November? ● Do young Americans pay attention to the news? Do they trust it? ● Are young Americans civically engaged and how? ● Do young Americans know basic facts about our democracy? ● What GOTV message frames speak to young Americans?
SURVEY AND SAMPLE ● Survey designed by Public Wise Research ● Survey fielded online May 1 - 16, 2022 by Change Research under the direction of Stephen Clermont ● Sample of 3,241 American Adults aged 18-29 ● Sample weighted on age/sex, education/sex, census 4-way region, race-ethnicity/sex, voter turnout, and vote choice
THREE ISSUES TOP OF MIND ● Abortion/Bodily Autonomy/Women’s Rights/Birth Control ● Economy/Cost of Living/Poverty ○ Includes Gas Prices and Inflation ● Climate Change and the Environment
POSITIONS ON ABORTION
WOULD IT BOTHER YOU TO REGULARLY HEAR PEOPLE SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IN PUBLIC PLACES IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
WHO DO YOU THINK GOT THE MOST VOTES IN THE 2020 ELECTION?
HOW MOTIVATED ARE YOU TO VOTE?
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR NEWS? MOST CITED SOURCE ACROSS ALL YOUNG AMERICANS: YOUTUBE
HOW MUCH ATTENTION DO YOU PAY TO THE NEWS?
HOW MUCH DO YOU TRUST THE NEWS MEDIA?
EVERYONE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY TAXES FOR THE SAKE OF THE COLLECTIVE GOOD: AGREE OR DISAGREE?
JURY DUTY IS MY CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY: AGREE OR DISAGREE?
EVEN IF IT IS INCONVENIENT, I AM WILLING TO FULFILL MY CIVIC OBLIGATIONS: AGREE OR DISAGREE?
FULFILLING CIVIC OBLIGATIONS, LIKE PAYING TAXES, VOTING, AND JURY DUTY IS IMPORTANT TO THE FUNCTIONING OF OUR DEMOCRACY: AGREE OR DISAGREE?
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
HOW MANY SENATORS? WHEN ARE THE NEXT MIDTERMS? WHO’S ON THE MIDTERM BALLOT?
WHEN IS THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND TRUE/FALSE: HOW DO YOU WIN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?
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I vote for a more representative government with leaders who look like me and understand my community. Voting as Accountability:
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There are so many issues that impact our lives. I vote to make sure I have a say in how we confront these issues now and in the future. of the Youth Vote:
● Power
Elected officials should be accountable to the people they represent. I vote to hold my representatives accountable. If they don’t keep their promises, I’ll vote for someone else who will.
I vote because young people like me are the future and our vote is powerful. Matters:
Voting is Pragmatic:
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I vote because someone is going to get elected and I don’t want that choice to be made without me. Right Direction:
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Even if there isn’t an ideal candidate for me, I vote for whichever candidate will help steer the country closer to the direction I think we should go.
● Issues that Matter Most: ○
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● Representation
HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO SHARE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
DOES THIS MESSAGE MAKE YOU MORE LIKELY TO VOTE?
Elected officials should be accountable to the people they represent. I vote to hold my representatives accountable. If they don’t keep their promises, I’ll vote for someone else who will.
RIGHT DIRECTION
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There are so many issues that impact lives. I vote to make sure I have a say in how confront these issues now and in the future.
WHICH MESSAGES ARE BEST STATISTICALLY SPEAKING? ● Likelihood of sharing: ○ Voting as Accountability & Right Direction ● More likely to vote: ○ Voting as Accountability & Issues that Matter & Right Direction ACCOUNTABILITY
Even if there isn’t an ideal candidate for me, I vote for whichever candidate will help steer the country closer to the direction I think we should go.
ISSUES THAT MATTER
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APPROXIMATELY 78% OF RESPONDENTS WHO SAW THE ACCOUNTABILITY FRAME REACTED POSITIVELY OR IN AGREEMENT WHEN ASKED HOW THE MESSAGE MADE THEM FEEL … BUT MANY INCLUDED CAVEATS ● I strongly agree with this message because I feel like someone who makes false promises shouldn't be in charge. ● I agree with this sentiment, but it makes me feel aggravated because so many times it is not the reality. ● I agree with the statement though I know this statement does not actually reign true in our current society. ● I strongly agree. But I feel as though I don’t really have much of a choice of who represents me. No one seems to be keeping their promises. ● It’s how it should be, but it’s never how it works. Because no candidate ever keeps promises. “ ”
YOUNG AMERICANS ARE: ● Civically engaged, but maybe in less traditional ways ○ Online political expression, political protest, etc ● Worried about their rights, the economy, and the environment ● Mostly knowledgeable about basic civic facts, but civic education is still lacking ● Deeply skeptical of contrived messaging ● Disillusioned with government
RECOMMENDED MESSAGING STRATEGY ● Disillusionment means that messaging on things like patriotism and civic duty are not very motivating ● Young Americans want actual accountability, not lip service
RECOMMENDED MESSAGING STRATEGY ● Accountability messaging framed around issues and actions ● Action has to be believable and realistic ● Without actual progress we are likely to continue in a cycle of disillusionment
