Pandemic top issue in election

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the coronavirus now surging anew, voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns in the race between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate.

Voters were especially likely to call the public health crisis the nation’s most important issue, with the economy following close behind. Fewer named health care, racism, law enforcement, immigration or climate change.

After eight months and 232,000 deaths, the candidates faced a dissatisfied electorate. Many voters said they have been personally affected by the virus. Roughly 6 in 10 said the country is going in the wrong direction.

The survey found Trump’s leadership loomed large in voters’ decision-making. Nearly two-thirds of voters said their vote was about Trump — either for him or against him.

Here’s a snapshot of who voted and what matters to them, based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 132,000 voters and nonvoters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.

Facing the pandemic

About 4 in 10 voters said the coronavirus pandemic is the top issue facing the nation. Roughly 3 in 10 called the economy and jobs most important. Trump, who has downplayed the virus, sought to focus his campaign on the pre-pandemic economy, while Biden has said the economy won’t improve unless the virus is controlled.

Voters were more likely to think the government should prioritize limiting the spread of the coronavirus — even if it damages the economy — than to say the economy should be the top priority.

Roughly half of voters said the coronavirus situation in the U.S. is not at all under control. About 6 in 10 voters said the economy is in poor shape, while about 4 in 10 said economic conditions are excellent or good.

Pandemic’s personal impact

From lost jobs and income to missed milestones, voters felt the impact of the pandemic personally as the coronavirus swept the country.

An overwhelming majority of voters said the coronavirus pandemic has affected them personally. About 4 in 10 said their household lost a job or income. Roughly half said they missed out on a major event, and about 2 in 10 said that a close friend or family member died from the virus.

Voters see their financial situations as holding steady despite the fragile economy. About 7 in 10 said their personal finances are stable; roughly 2 in 10 said they are falling behind. Just about 1 in 10 said they are getting ahead financially.

Racial unrest

After a summer of protests and sometimes-violent clashes over racial inequality in policing, about half of voters call racism a “very serious” problem in U.S. society. Roughly 3 in 10 say it’s somewhat serious; about 2 in 10 say it’s not a serious problem. Similar shares call racism a serious problem in policing.