Process
Canopy Atlanta’s Community Engagement Team surveyed 66 people from communities across the five-county metro, to better understand their voting patterns and sentiments ahead of Georgia’s midterm elections this November 8. Here’s what they had to say.
Survey Respondents
Here’s What Residents Had to Say
Amid what appears to be record early voter turnout for Georgia this fall, over 80 percent of respondents said they were “very likely” to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.
“Don’t want Republicans in office. Really care about housing and transportation.”
“Not a Stacey Abrams fan—I’m an independent.”
More than 62 percent of respondents said they vote in most local and national elections. The rest were about evenly divided, between those who only vote in national elections, those who only vote in local elections (because they “matter more”), and those who rarely vote in either.
“Don’t vote because politicians are corrupt.”
“Local elections matter more.”
The 2021 Election Integrity Act shortens the voting window and requires a photo ID (instead of a driver’s license number) to submit an absentee ballot.
Amid these changes, over 78 percent of survey respondents say they’re aware of their current options, though one respondent said they’re “aware, but don’t know how.”
We asked respondents to share how they felt about the following statements.
I can easily find my voting location.
I don’t have any barriers to voting.
“Always vote early.”
“A lot of people in the community are struggling and don’t have transportation.”
I can take time off work to vote.
I can easily access information about candidates.
The majority of survey respondents said they can easily access information about who’s on their ballot. However, a few said they were still waiting for candidates to address one issue that matters to them: affordable housing.
“I don’t feel like information is easily accessible. Don’t think my vote matters.”
“Housing is unaffordable in Atlanta. Candidates need to address this.”
“I feel well informed about national races, but much less so about local races, judicial candidates, referendums, etc.”
I feel like my vote matters or makes a difference.
Two-thirds of Canopy Atlanta’s survey respondents said they “strongly agree” that their vote matters or makes a difference. Notably, one respondent said that she wasn’t sure whether she agreed or disagreed with that statement, but has decided to show up to the polls anyway.
“I wasn’t going to vote, but there is too much going on right now where I feel like I have to do,” she said. “I don’t think my vote matters, but the least I can do is vote.”
