MADISON, WI – Today, AARP Wisconsin released key findings from a 2022
election survey that shows candidates should pay close attention to
Wisconsinites age 50 and older, with issues such as inflation, taxes and
government spending, and Social Security and Medicare top of mind for these
voters.
Wisconsin residents age 50-plus are a crucial voting bloc, consistently showing
up to the polls and making a key difference in election outcomes in Wisconsin.
Approximately 38% of the state’s population is 50-plus, but this group makes up
55% of registered voters.
In the competitive race for governor, Tim Michels (R) narrowly leads Governor
Tony Evers (D), 50% – 47%. Michels’ lead is due to a 51% – 46% advantage
among voters 50+.
The U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin is also competitive, with Sen. Ron Johnson
(R) leading Lieutenant Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), 51% – 46%. Like Michels,
Johnson’s lead is slightly bigger (52% – 45%) among voters 50+.
Gov. Evers leads 78% – 18% among Black voters 50+, while Michels is up 8%
among white voters 50+. Similarly, Lt. Gov. Barnes has a large lead with Black
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voters 50+ (78% – 19%) and Johnson is ahead by 10% with white voters 50+ in
the Senate race.
“Wisconsin voters 50 and older are a critical voting demographic that all
candidates are competing for in this midterm election,” said Martha Cranley,
State Director, AARP Wisconsin. “With the price of necessities like groceries,
health care, and gasoline so high, Wisconsin residents want their leaders to
provide solutions to inflation and the rising cost of living and protect Social
Security and Medicare. The message is clear, if candidates want to win, they
should pay attention to the issues that matter to Wisconsinites 50-plus.”
The survey also found:
A significant majority (74%) of voters overall think the country is headed in
the wrong direction, and 73% think the same about the direction of the
state.
84% of voters overall agree with the statement that members of Congress
do not listen to people like them, and almost two thirds (65%) are worried
about their personal financial situation.
The vast majority (90%) of voters 50+ say they are extremely motivated to
vote in the November election.
84% of Wisconsin voters 50+ say they would be more likely to vote for a
candidate for Senate who will protect Social Security from cuts.
AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward & Impact
Research to conduct a survey. The firms interviewed 1,399 likely Wisconsin
voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 500 likely voters,
with an oversample of 550 likely voters age 50 and older and an additional
oversample of 349 African American/Black likely voters age 50 and older,
between September 18-25, 2022. The interviews were conducted via landline
(30%), cellphone (35%), and SMS-to-web (35%). The margin of sampling error
for the 500 statewide sample is ±4.4%; for the 855 total sample of voters 50+ is
±3.4%; for the 400 total sample of African American/Black voters 50+ is ±4.9%.
For more information on how, when and where to vote in Wisconsin, visit
aarp.org/WIvotes .
