As concerns around the state of the economy and inflation continue, about eight-in-ten registered voters (81%) say the economy will be very important to their vote in the 2024 presidential election.
While the economy is the top issue among voters, a large majority (69%) cite at least five of the 10 issues asked about in the survey as very important to their vote.
There are wide differences between voters who support Harris and Trump when it comes to the issues.
Among Trump supporters, the economy (93%), immigration (82%) and violent crime (76%) are the leading issues. Just 18% of Trump supporters say racial and ethnic inequality is very important. And even fewer say climate change is very important (11%).
For Harris supporters, issues such as health care (76%) and Supreme Court appointments (73%) are of top importance. Large majorities also cite the economy (68%) and abortion (67%) as very important to their vote in the election.
Most voters cite several issues as very important to their vote
Most voters cite several issues as very important to their vote this November. Very few – just 5% – say only one issue or no issues are highly important.
Majorities of both Harris supporters (71%) and Trump supporters (69%) say at least five of 10 issues included in the survey are very important to their vote.
Harris supporters are more likely than Trump supporters to say most of the issues included are very important. About a third of Harris supporters (32%) say at least eight of 10 issues are very important, compared with 17% of Trump supporters.
Top voting issues: 2020 versus 2024
While the economy has long been a top issue for voters – and continues to be one today – other issues have become increasingly important for voters over the past four years.
Immigration
About six-in-ten voters (61%) today say immigration is very important to their vote – a 9 percentage point increase from the 2020 presidential election and 13 points higher than during the 2022 congressional elections.
Immigration is now a much more important issue for Republican voters in particular: 82% of Trump supporters say it is very important to their vote in the 2024 election, up 21 points from 2020.
About four-in-ten Harris supporters (39%) say immigration is very important to their vote. This is 8 points higher than the share of Democratic congressional supporters who said this in 2022, but lower than the 46% of Biden supporters who cited immigration as very important four years ago.
Abortion
In August 2020, fewer than half of voters (40%) said abortion was a very important issue to their vote. At the time, Trump voters (46%) were more likely than Biden voters (35%) to say it mattered a great deal.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, opinions about abortion’s importance as a voting issue shifted. Today, 67% of Harris supporters call the issue very important – nearly double the share of Biden voters who said this four years ago, though somewhat lower than the share of midterm Democratic voters who said this in 2022 (74%). And about a third of Trump supporters (35%) now say abortion is very important to their vote – 11 points lower than in 2020.
Confidence in Harris and Trump on top issues
Voters have more confidence in Trump than Harris on economic, immigration and foreign policies. Half or more voters say they are at least somewhat confident in Trump to make good decisions in these areas, while smaller shares (45% each) say this about Harris.
In contrast, voters have more confidence in Harris than Trump to make good decisions about abortion policy and to effectively address issues around race. Just over half of voters have confidence in Harris on these issues, while 44% have confidence in Trump on these issues.
Trump holds a slight edge over Harris for handling law enforcement and criminal justice issues (51% Trump, 47% Harris). Voters are equally confident in Harris and Trump to select good nominees for the Supreme Court (50% each).
Fewer than half of voters say they are very or somewhat confident in either candidate to bring the country closer together (41% are confident in Harris, 36% in Trump). And voters express relatively little confidence in Trump (37%) or Harris (32%) to reduce the influence of money in politics.
Changes in confidence in candidates on issues, following Biden’s departure from race
Since Biden dropped out of the presidential race in July, there has been movement on how confident voters are in the candidates to address issues facing the country.
Abortion policy
In July, 48% of voters were confident in Biden to make good decisions about abortion policy. Today, 55% of voters are confident in Harris to do the same.
Harris currently has an 11-point advantage over Trump on voters’ confidence to handle abortion policy decisions.
Immigration policy
Voters also express more confidence in Harris to make wise decisions about immigration policy than they did for Biden before he withdrew from the race. Today, 45% are confident in Harris on this issue; in July, 35% said this about Biden.
While Trump’s advantage over Harris on immigration policy is less pronounced than it was over Biden, he continues to hold a 7-point edge. Voters are as confident in his ability to make wise decisions about immigration policy as they were in July (52%).
Foreign and economic policies
Harris has also improved over Biden in voters’ confidence to make good decisions about foreign and economic policies. Currently, 45% of voters are confident in Harris on each of these issues.
In July, 39% had confidence in Biden to make good foreign policy decisions, while a similar share (40%) had confidence in him on economic policy.
Trump holds an edge over Harris on both of these issues, though both are somewhat narrower than the advantage he had over Biden on these issues in July.
