FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The 22nd Arkansas Poll released Oct. 28 results in a plethora of findings regarding the concerns of Arkansas voters, party preferences and thoughts on ballot issues.
The poll found that the top three concerns of registered voters this year were healthcare, the economy and politicians.
University of Arkansas political science professor Janine Parry conducts the poll every year and said that it is the only public poll that has taken place in Arkansas since 1988. This makes it one of the oldest statewide public polls in the country.
Parry said that one of the most interesting finds in her opinion were the issues that matter most to voters. She said that one in five voters identified politics as the most pressing issue in the 2020 election.
“To me it suggests that even though Republicans and Democrats are far apart from each other, the one place of agreement is that we are upset about the state we are in,” Parry said.
Parry said that the poll indicated that Republican support in the state is continually growing. This continues a trend that has been maintained over the last decade. The poll shows a record high of 44% of those polled identified as Republican.
The poll also highlighted standings on presidential candidates, senate races and ballot issues.
Presidential Race:
Trump: 65%
Biden: 32%
Other: 3%
U.S. Senate Race:
Cotton: 75%
Harrington: 20%
Other: 5%
Amendment Extending Half-Cent Sales Tax for Roads and Highways:
Favor: 62%
Oppose: 38%
Amendment to Change Term Limits for State Legislators:
Favor: 60%
Oppose: 40%
Amendment to Change Requirements for Ballot Initiatives and Referrals:
Favor: 41%
Oppose: 59%
In regard to the coronavirus, 59% of polled Arkansans said that President Trump was doing an excellent or good job, while 40% said that his performance was fair or poor. Parry said the virus has become a partisan issue in recent months.
“Everything is tied into our partisan identity and our politics. We are really capturing partisanship rather than the handling of the virus,” Parry said.
The poll was conducted by calling 804 Arkansans between Oct. 9 and Oct. 21. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percent.