economic impact
A major theme for voters this year is the economy. A Pew Research Center poll released in September found that eight out of 10 registered voters said the economy would be very important in their presidential election vote.
Respondents to WUSF’s unscientific survey said they were concerned about property and casualty insurance and auto insurance. Other economic issues Floridians are concerned about include income inequality, housing costs, inflation and the national debt.
And basic needs like food are important to voters of all ages.
WUSF reporter Steve Newborn was able to talk to people at the Wimauma Senior Center and hear what college students at campuses across Tampa Bay are thinking.
He spoke to Dolly Andino about her financial challenges.
“Sometimes I can’t even pay certain bills because I have to pay rent. I still owe money on my car. “My insurance, cell phone, everything keeps going up, but my income is… No change.” Newborn also spoke with Jack Kurczynski, a student at the University of South Florida who just turned 18. This will be her first time voting. “Well, the rent is crazy high. My entire salary covers the monthly rent. So I can’t afford to buy food. So I get most of my food from the school pantry. We are procuring it.”
Newborn said Floridians like Andino and Kruczynski aren’t hearing enough from presidential candidates about how to improve their personal lives.
“There was talk of Joe Biden reducing student debt before he dropped out of the race, but that was after the fact, after graduation,” he said. “They haven’t heard anything about the fight against rising prices or the fight against food prices.”
When it comes to inflation, the numbers are coming down. As of September, the rate was 2.4%, a significant drop from the 9% spike before and after the pandemic.
But Michael Snipes, an associate professor of economics at the University of South Florida, said people are paying more attention to what they’re currently paying for a product than trends in its price overtime.
“It’s true that inflation is falling, but that doesn’t mean all prices are falling,” he said. “Housing prices are still well above the average rate of inflation. Food prices at grocery stores and restaurants are still well above the average rate of inflation. So when you look at prices and inflation, they’re certainly coming down, but , it’s not necessarily the kind of product that people really need.”
When it comes to economic concerns among voters in the Tampa Bay area, some respondents to the same WUSF online survey said they were worried about home insurance and affordable housing. But Snipes says political will will be needed to actually address these concerns.
“When you think about how inequality can be addressed, I think it has to be through some kind of government provision or government policy. It could be either the federal government or the state government,” he said. said. “I think what we’re really looking for is political will rather than economic will, because there are ideas out there to help low-income people and families facing hardship, but at the end of the day, The question is whether there is really the political will to do so. “
secure your vote
With the presidential election just days away, many people are concerned about the integrity of this contentious campaign. That includes everything from concerns about voter fraud caused by misinformation to concerns about outside interference affecting election results.
Wesley Wilcox assures Florida voters that their ballots are safe. He is the Marion County Supervisor of Elections.
“Every ballot cast in Florida will be written on a piece of paper. So even if the world were to go into electronic meltdown, we would still have that paper. I None of our systems are connected to the internet,” he said.
Wilcox says our system is the most secure ever.
Physical safety is also a concern for election officials, but Wilcox said election officials and voters will be safe at the polls.
“Times have changed. Many offices now have bulletproof glass. You can no longer have physical contact with the people working in the office,” he said. “Voting sites, early voting sites. We’re working with our law enforcement partners across the state to be prepared, to know where polling places are, where early voting places are, so we can quickly respond to any incidents.” I know what you have done.”
For more information about voting before you go to the polls, check out WUSF’s Voter Guide and podcast “Our Changing State: Vote 2024.”
