AARP Poll: Harris Has Narrow Lead Over Trump Among Pennsylvania Voters

Voters 50-plus flex political muscle

Within Pennsylvania, the older voting bloc is powerful; it’s big in size, it’s the most motivated to vote, and it contains a significant number of swing voters, says Liszt. “These persuadable older voters in Pennsylvania are particularly important to the national political environment,” he explains.

In Pennsylvania, 55 percent of all registered voters are 50 or older, making them a larger cohort than younger voters.

Their interest in voting in November’s election is also high. While 82 percent of all likely voters surveyed in Pennsylvania say they are extremely motivated to vote, that number jumps to 91 percent for voters 50-plus.

Older voters say they plan to vote in person on Election Day (61 percent), by absentee or mail-in ballot (28 percent) or early in person (7 percent).

In addition, 27 percent of the 50-plus cohort are swing voters, those who say they’re not committed to voting for candidates from one party, according to the survey. This is a high proportion compared to other battleground states, Liszt says. “There are enough ticket splitters over 50 to swing any of these races,” he says of Pennsylvania voters, “and that’s why it’s so important [for candidates] to pay attention to the issues that matter to them.”

AARP (Source: Getty images)

A focus on finances

So, what does concern older voters? 

From a list of issues that would help determine their votes on Election Day, the poll found that voters 50-plus chose immigration and border security (37 percent); inflation and rising prices (29 percent); the economy and jobs (26 percent); abortion and reproductive issues (22 percent) and threats to democracy (20 percent) as among their top two concerns. Those numbers mostly held fairly steady compared to the AARP poll from April, however the economy and jobs category saw an increase of 7 percent.

Among older swing voters, personal economic issues are of particular importance, with 75 percent placing one — either inflation, the economy and jobs, or Social Security — in their top two issues.

In fact, pocketbook issues are top of mind for most older voters: 64 percent of likely voters 50-plus say they are worried about their own personal financial situation compared to 35 percent who say they are not. Older voters rank food (52 percent), utilities (49 percent) and health care and prescription drugs (46 percent) as their biggest cost concerns.

From a list of issues specifically impacting older adults, voters 50-plus say Social Security (84 percent), Medicare (77 percent), policies to help people age at home (72 percent) and the cost of prescription drugs (66 percent) are all extremely or very important issues when deciding their vote this year.

AARP (Source: Getty images)

The focus on Social Security among older Pennsylvanians “really stands out” compared to poll results in other swing states, Ward says. Among 50-plus voters, 61 percent say Social Security is or will be a major source of income for their household. That figure is even higher among those 65-plus, with 75 percent saying it is or will be a major source.

Ninety-four percent say they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate who makes sure workers get their Social Security benefits and 79 percent say they’d be more likely to support a candidate who works to protect Social Security from cuts.

“If I’m a candidate wanting to reach older voters in Pennsylvania, talking about Social Security is certainly going to pique their interest,” says Ward. “It’s very near and dear to them.”

Caregiving is another area that candidates should be talking about, Ward says. Almost one in four likely Pennsylvania voters surveyed say they consider themself a family caregiver. Among the 50-plus voters, almost one in three say they consider themself one. Of all the caregivers, 39 percent say they spend 21 hours or more assisting an older or ill adult, or someone with a disability, per week, and 14 percent say they spend 11 to 20 hours weekly.

Seventy-six percent of likely voters 50-plus say they would be more likely to support a candidate that provides support for family caregivers who are helping their loved ones live independently in their homes.

“Family caregiving is an economic issue,” says Ward. “We know that people are spending a lot on out-of-pocket expenses to take care of loved ones. It’s also fundamentally a drain on people’s time, and time is money.”