{"id":9438,"date":"2020-10-06T12:00:12","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T17:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election\/"},"modified":"2024-04-13T23:44:15","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T04:44:15","slug":"how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/10\/06\/how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election\/","title":{"rendered":"How important is climate change to voters in the 2020 election?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Election Day nears, a majority of registered voters in the United States say climate change will be a very (42%) or somewhat (26%) important issue in making their decision about whom to vote for in the presidential election, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted July 27-Aug. 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-16278\" href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/10\/06\/how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election\/ft_20-10-06_climate-1-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f1f1f1\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f1f1f1;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate-1.png?resize=480,419 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate-1.png?resize=782,683 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate-1.png?resize=837,731 837w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"367\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate-1.png?w=420\" alt=\"Climate change ranks near the top of issue priorities to Biden voters, low on list to Trump voters\" class=\"wp-image-16278 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Registered voters supporting Democratic candidate Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump have very different perspectives on the issue. Nearly seven-in-ten Biden voters (68%) say climate change is <em>very<\/em> important to their vote. By contrast, only 11% of Trump supporters say the same. In fact, climate change ranks last in importance (<a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2020\/08\/13\/important-issues-in-the-2020-election\/\">out of 12 issues tested in a recent survey<\/a>) for Trump supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible js-react-collapsible is-style-alternate has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These findings are from a recent Pew Research Center study conducted to understand American voters\u2019 attitudes about the 2020 presidential election and campaigns. We surveyed 11,001 U.S. adults \u2013 including 9,114 registered voters \u2013 between July 27 and Aug. 2, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/methods\/u-s-survey-research\/american-trends-panel\/\">ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/08\/PP_2020.08.13_Voter-Attitudes_TOPLINE.pdf\">the questions used for the report<\/a>, along with responses, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2020\/08\/13\/election-2020-voter-attitudes-methodology\/\">its methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The issue of climate change has been <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/04\/16\/u-s-concern-about-climate-change-is-rising-but-mainly-among-democrats\/\">growing in importance for Americans<\/a> over time. Six-in-ten adults now view climate change as a major threat to the well-being of the U.S. \u2013 up from 44% who said this in 2009. And <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2020\/02\/13\/as-economic-concerns-recede-environmental-protection-rises-on-the-publics-policy-agenda\/#changing-views-of-the-environment-and-climate-change\">a January survey<\/a> \u2013 fielded before the <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/topics\/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19\/\">coronavirus outbreak<\/a> \u2013 found a rising share citing climate change as a top priority for the president and Congress. In both instances, rising concern has been concentrated among Democrats, but not Republicans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the share of all voters who say climate change will be very important to their vote (42%) trails behind other leading issues such as the economy (79%), health care (68%) and the coronavirus outbreak (62%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Biden supporters, climate change is among several high-level issue priorities this election. Although 68% say it is very important to their vote, this ranks behind majorities on issues like health care (84%), the coronavirus outbreak (82%) and racial and ethnic inequality (76%) \u2013 and about on par with the level of priority given to economic inequality (65%). Climate change ranks ahead of several other issues for Biden voters, including foreign policy and violent crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-16283\" href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/10\/06\/how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election\/ft_20-10-06-climatechangeelection-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d9dfe6\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d9dfe6;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06.ClimateChangeElection.png?resize=480,862 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06.ClimateChangeElection.png?resize=620,1114 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"557\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06.ClimateChangeElection.png?w=310\" alt=\"Climate change broadly viewed as an important issue among Biden voters\" class=\"wp-image-16283 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Liberal Biden supporters are especially likely to prioritize climate change in their 2020 vote. Nearly eight-in-ten Biden supporters who describe their political views as liberal (79%) say climate change is a very important election issue, compared with a somewhat smaller majority of moderate and conservative Biden voters (60%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Climate change ranks higher on the minds of White and Hispanic than Black Biden voters. About half of Black Biden supporters (54%) consider climate change to be very important to their vote; larger shares of Hispanic (75%) and White (71%) Biden supporters say the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump voters place low importance on the issue of climate change, but there are some differences in voter priorities by ideology, gender and generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-16273\" href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/10\/06\/how-important-is-climate-change-to-voters-in-the-2020-election\/ft_20-10-06_climate3-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f0eae9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f0eae9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate3.png?resize=480,705 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate3.png?resize=617,906 617w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"455\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/10\/FT_20.10.06_climate3.png?w=310\" alt=\"Small shares of Trump voters say climate is very important to their vote\" class=\"wp-image-16273 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two-in-ten moderate or liberal Trump supporters say climate change is very important to their 2020 vote, compared with just 6% of those who describe their views as conservative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among Trump supporters, women as well as Millennials and Gen Zers are somewhat more likely than men and older supporters to say the issue of climate change is important to their vote this fall. Still, across all major demographic groups, no more than two-in-ten Trump voters place high importance on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Biden and Trump supporters are far apart in how they prioritize the issue of climate change. But a May survey found Republicans and Democrats agree on <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/science\/2020\/06\/23\/two-thirds-of-americans-think-government-should-do-more-on-climate\/#strong-majorities-of-americans-back-policies-aimed-at-reducing-the-effects-of-climate-change\">some policies aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change<\/a>. For instance, 90% of Democrats and Democratic leaners and 78% of Republicans and those who lean to the GOP say they would favor providing a tax credit to businesses for developing carbon capture and storage technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A majority of U.S. registered voters say climate change will be a very or somewhat important issue when casting their vote for president.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":459,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sub_headline":"","sub_title":"","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"ai_generated_summary":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2020-10-06T21:34:34Z","apple_news_api_id":"e1f60f23-37bc-44e6-8043-be319387c4fa","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2020-10-29T22:56:20Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A4fYPIze8ROaAQ74xk4fE-g","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"relatedPosts":[],"datacite_doi":"","datacite_doi_citation":"","_prc_seo_qr_attachment_id":0,"spoken_article_player_enabled":true,"displayBylines":true,"footnotes":"","prc_watchers":[],"_prc_fork_parent":0,"_prc_fork_status":"","_prc_active_fork":0},"categories":[264,40,93,38,48],"bylines":[957],"collection":[],"datasets":[],"_post_visibility":[],"formats":[467],"_fund_pool":[],"languages":[],"regions-countries":[515],"research-teams":[520,518],"workflow-status":[],"class_list":["post-9438","short-read","type-short-read","status-publish","hentry","category-climate-energy-environment","category-election-2020","category-issue-priorities","category-political-issues","category-voters-voting","bylines-alec-tyson","formats-short-read","regions-countries-united-states","research-teams-politics","research-teams-science"],"label":"Short 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