Detroit Chamber of Commerce Release Statewide Poll on Voting Concerns

Ahead of the Democratic Debates, the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce has released a statewide survey of Michigan voters. 600 Michiganders took part to answer questions about what issues were grabbing their attention, and the current state of the country. The poll showed some key issues that matter most to Michigan voters, and where the state was still split.

“Michigan is going to be a key state in next year’s election, so we believe it is important the candidates understand how Michigan residents feel on the issues,” said Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “The statewide survey shows that while there is a consensus among Michigan voters on major key issues, there is also some divisiveness across ideologies. We ask our elected officials and those who seek office to keep that front of mind between now and next November and hope that they focus on the vast majority of voters and not just a segment.”

Highlights include:

• 51.2% of Michigan voters believe the nation is on the wrong track.
• 62% say the economy is on the right track.
• When asked if in the past three years their households had improved, remained the same, or been hurt, 63% did not see improvement— with 15.5% of households being hurt and 47.5% no change.
• Fewer than one in five voters reported benefits from the federal tax reform legislation passed in 2017.
• When asked in an open ended question: “What is the most important issue facing our nation right now?” the top four responses were:
  -Border security/immigration: 18.2%
  -The President: 17.5%
  -Economy and jobs: 10.7%
  -Health care costs and availability: 8.8%

Surveyors found common ground on most national issues. Below are the key issues for Michigan voters:

• Tariffs: Most voters who felt they directly hurt Michigan consumers, industry, and agriculture.
  - By a margin of 40.8% — 32.3%, voters believe tariffs on foreign made cars hurt Michigan’s automotive industry (14.7% said no effect, 12.2% had no response).
  - By a margin of 47.3% — 22.2%, voters believe tariffs on Chinese imports hurt Michigan farmers (14.2% said no effect, 16.3% had no response).
  - By a margin of 47% — 23.5% voters believe tariffs on foreign made products hurt consumers like themselves (21.7% said no effect, 7.8% had no response).
• Immigration: A majority of voters believe immigrants are good for the economy, oppose a border wall but support non-wall security, don’t want children separated from their families, and support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
  - 56.5% of Michigan voters believe immigrants are good for the economy.
  - 57.3% oppose increased federal funding to build a border wall between the US and Mexico.
  - 81.7% strongly support increased federal funding for security at the border and all ports of entry if it does not include a border wall.
  - 77.3% oppose the separation of children from immigrants parents who came across the border either illegally or seeking asylum.
  - In a three part question about what should be done to address illegal immigrants 54.5% of Michigan voters said undocumented adults who have not committed any major crimes should be given a pathway to citizenship in the US (26.2% said any undocumented adults who came illegally should be deported no matter what, 14.2% said all undocumented immigrants should have a pathway to citizenship, and 5.2% did not respond).
• Climate Change: By a higher margin, Michigan voters expressed genuine concern about the threat of climate change.
  - 60.8% believe climate change is a threat to Michigan’s economy.
  - 65.2% believe climate change is a threat to the Great Lakes.
• Fixing the Soo Locks: An overwhelming majority of Michiganders support fixing the Soo Locks.
  - 78.3% of Michigan voters say that funding and fixing the Sault Ste. Marie Locks is urgent or very important, while 15.3% said it is important but there are other priorities.
• Education: A strong majority of voters agree it is important to obtain a post-high school education, while a little more than half support taxpayer-funded college tuition.
  - 93.7% of Michigan voters believe it is important to attain more than a high school education.
  - 56.8% support taxpayer-funded “free” college tuition.
• Civility: When questioned if Americans had become more or less civil toward one another Michigan voters strongly agreed the country had become less civil, and largely blamed the President.
  - 69.2% of Michiganders believe Americans have become less civil toward each other in the past five years. When asked in an open-ended question what specifically is to blame, 40.2% responded President Trump.
• Health Care: While the other issues had mostly consensus, Michigan voters are divided on the issue of health care.
  - 51.5% oppose the elimination of private insurance in favor of a “Medicare for All” plan.
  - 44% are split on repealing the Affordable Care Act (34.3% strongly support its appeal while 34.5% strongly oppose).

The Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce hopes that this survey will help elected officials recognize the issues pressing Michigan voters, and act accordingly. The survey shows consensus on national issues such as tariffs, immigration, and climate change. Michigan has 16 electoral votes in the Presidential race, making it a valuable state to win. After a long streak as a liberal Midwest state, it turned red in 2016.