(AP) – Voters in Arkansas made their pick for president while holding mixed views about the country’s direction, according to an expansive AP survey of the American electorate.
The race between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden concluded Tuesday as the nation remains in the throes of a global public health crisis and mired in the economic downturn it brought on. AP VoteCast found that 52% of Arkansas voters said the U.S. is on the right track and 48% of voters said it is headed in the wrong direction.
Here’s a snapshot of who voted and what matters to them, based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of about 133,000 voters and nonvoters — including 599 voters and 279 nonvoters in Arkansas — conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.
FACING THE PANDEMIC
The coronavirus pandemic has spread through the U.S. for roughly eight months, killing more than 230,000 Americans. Overall, 21% of voters said the virus in the U.S. is completely or mostly under control, and 33% said it’s somewhat under control. Forty-five percent of voters think the coronavirus is not at all under control in this country.
ON THE ISSUES
The coronavirus pandemic and the economy were top of mind for many voters in Arkansas. Thirty-five percent said the coronavirus pandemic is the most important issue facing the country today. Thirty-one percent named the economy.
Nine percent named health care, 7% named racism and 6% named immigration.
NATIONAL ECONOMY
Voters were closely divided in their assessments of the nation’s economy. Overall, 51% described economic conditions in the U.S. as excellent or good, and 49% called them not so good or poor.
STAYING AT HOME
Among registered voters who chose not to cast a ballot in Arkansas, 33% said that was because they don’t like politics generally, 15% said their vote doesn’t matter and 11% said they are concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus.
In Arkansas, 63% of nonvoters were younger than 45 and 86% did not have a college degree.
