A recent poll commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) and The Pennsylvania Budget & Policy Center shows Pennsylvania voters hold deep concerns over the economic fallout from COVID-19 and oppose efforts by the Republican-controlled legislature to erect barriers that make it harder for eligible Pennsylvanians to participate in elections.
American Rescue Plan Funds
When asked an open-ended question about prioritizing using the American Rescue Plan funds, Pennsylvania voters across partisan lines overwhelmingly identified providing relief to low-income and unemployed residents hardest hit by the pandemic (26 percent). Support was also strong for economic recovery efforts/small business (19 percent) and funding education (11 percent). By a three-to-one margin, Pennsylvania voters want American Rescue Plan funds spent on investment in people rather than paying down deficits created by tax cuts.
Protecting Pennsylvanians’ Freedom to Vote
An overwhelming number of registered Pennsylvanian voters strongly oppose proposals that would make it harder for eligible voters to vote in Pennsylvania.
In contrast, Pennsylvanians are very supportive of reforms that assist county-level election officials to make it easier to vote, such as additional state funding to county boards of elections.
The poll results show that voters disagree with the Republicans' pursuit of voter suppression tactics in place of an actual plan to help them come out of this pandemic or a distribution plan to spend this once-in-a-lifetime funding to benefit working Pennsylvanians.
Click here for more detailed results.