This memo reflects the findings of 1000 online interviews conducted with registered voters by GBAO a Washington, DC based strategic consulting and polling firm, on behalf of All In Together. It includes an oversample of 200 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents in Super Tuesday states. The oversample was weighted down to be a representative portion of the base sample. Interviews were conducted February 12-18, 2020. Some numbers may not add up exactly due to rounding.
Many Democrats are still undecided, but Very Liberal, African American, and Younger Voters are decided and excited
Just barely a third of Democrats say they’ve decided who they are voting for and are excited about their choice, leaving about 63% either undecided, not excited, or choosing not to vote or answer
- The most decided and excited voters are Very Liberal democratic voters – 63% are decided and excited vs. 28% of moderate democrats. Only 26% of older women voters are decided and excited
- Younger Democrats are more excited and decided than older democrats (52% vs. 37%)
- African American voters are more likely to be decided and excited than white voters (40% vs. 32%, respectively). Non-white voters are more decided than white voters (43% vs. 32%)
- African American voters are also more likely than white voters to say they are decided, but not excited (24% vs. 11%) about their pick
How Democrats Voters Feel About The Candidate Field
Liberals and non-white voters are also the most likely to take political action before November
Overall, Democrat and Republican voters differ little in how likely they say they are to take political action before November. For example, 39% of Democrats say they will donate to a candidate or cause, compared to 36% of Republicans. But beneath the surface, some voters on the left seem particularly engaged.
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- Liberal Democrats are more likely to donate to a campaign (47%) or volunteer (42%) for a campaign or cause, compared to 37% and 31% of conservative Republicans
- Non-white Democrats are more likely to take action (45% donate, 58% volunteer) than white Democrats (34%, 29%)
Political Participation of White and Non-White Democrats
Many voters don’t know when their primary is.
More than one-third (36%) of Super Tuesday Democrats do not know when their state’s primary contest is.
- Older Democrats are more likely to know when their state’s contest is being held (57% among 50+, 50% among <50)
- Male voters are more likely to know when Super Tuesday is compared to women voters (60% v 48%)
- Young women are the least likely to know when Super Tuesday is: only 41% do
Democratic women are more likely to say the media has been unfair to the women candidates for president
Democratic women diverge sharply from Democratic men on whether the media has treated the women candidates fairly. By a 19-point margin, Democratic women say the media has treated women “less fairly” rather than “more fairly.” Yet Democratic men are evenly divided on this (26% more fairly, 24% less fairly).
How Do You Think the Media Treats Women Candidates for President Compared to Men
One in ten voters overall are “Pessimistic Dems”. They will vote for the Democrat in November but think Trump will win
These voters are more likely to be college educated and male Democrats, but African American women are also disproportionately likely to be in this group (17%, 17%, and 13%, respectively).
- A plurality of Pessimists (43%) have not decided how to vote in the primary, compared to 35% of Democrats overall
- Compared to all voters for the Democratic nominee, Pessimists are less likely to say they will take political action this year. For example, 32% of those voting for the Democratic candidate say they are likely to be in a march or protest (or already have been in one) compared to just 23% of Pessimistic Dems
Political Participation of “Pessimistic Democrats”
The Democratic Party is viewed more positively than the Republican party, but the parties are nearly equally described as “divisive”
Voters are more likely to say a series of positive traits—such as “cares about people like me” or “follows the rule of law”—better describe the Democratic Party than the Republican Party. There is one trait we tested, however, where the parties are nearly even: “divisive.” About as many say this better describes Democrats (32%) as Republicans (35%), and a fifth (19%) say this describes the parties equally—more than any other question in this series.
How Voters View the Democratic and Republican Parties
About All In Together:
All In Together encourages, equips, educates, and empowers voting-age women to participate fully in America’s civic and political life. Our vision is a truly representative American democracy, influenced at every level by the wisdom and power of women. AIT is the only national organization empowering and mobilizing women across the political spectrum to become advocates and leaders at work and in their communities.