The exit polls from Super Tuesday begin to give a glimpse of where US voters stand on certain issues. Super Tuesday is the largest single day of voting during the US Presidential Primary season, with voting happening in multiple states across the nation.
While voters may be split between candidates and political parties, the information gathered as they leave voting booths gives a clearer picture about their thoughts on the issues shaping the US Presidential election. So, here is a breakdown of some of the ongoing issues and where voters in certain states stand.
This information was taken from an analysis of exit poll results from Republican (GOP) and Democrat primary voters on Super Tuesday.
Temporary ban on Muslims
GOP voters in Virginia are more likely to oppose banning Muslims from entering the country than Republican vooters from any other state.
That is a lot of people in Virginia when of Republican voters n Arkansas and Alabama, 78 percent favor a temporary ban on Muslims.
Tennessee also had high percentage, 72, of GOP voters in favor of a ban on non-US Muslims entering the country.
In Texas 64 percent of GOP voters said they support the ban.
Does political experience matter?
In Texas, 45 percent of GOP (a nickname for the Republican Party which means "The Grand Old Party") primary voters want the next US President to be an "outsider," i.e. someone who is not currently involved in government. Republican candidates like Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump fit this description.
The popularity of this type of candidate is even higher in Alabama where six out of ten GOP primary voters in Alabama who want a political outsider.
By comparison, 83 percent of Democratic Party primary voters in Virginia want someone who has had political experience (both remaining Democratic candidates have experience). GOP voters in the same state were split where 50 percent said they want someone with experience.
This is one of the biggest differences to see between GOP and Democratic primary voters. Democrats overwhelmingly want someone with experience and the Republican party appears to lean toward a candidate who is an outsider from the political scene.
Building a wall between US and Mexico
In states bordering Mexico, two-thirds of GOP voters are in favor of building a wall along the entire US-Mexico border. While this is primarily a topic that comes from Donald Trump, voters who felt this way were split between Trump and Cruz.
Fun fact: actually building this wall could cost $16 million USD per mile or $25 billion for all 1,300 miles. This total does not include maintenance, which would be around $750 million per year.
What should the path to immigration look like?
In Oklahoma, GOP voters were split fifty-fifty on deportation vs. a path to legal status.
Only 4 out of 10 GOP voters in Georgia were favor deportation.
Overall, 49 percent of GOP primary voters favored a path to legal status for “working undocumented immigrants."
Healthcare, Inequality and Race
In Tennessee, healthcare and the economy were the biggest issue for six out of ten Democratic Pary voters.
Inequality was the next biggest issue for Democratic voters in Tennessee where the majority of voters prioritizing inequality supported Senator Sanders.
Democratic primary voters in Southern states were also asked whether they felt race relations have improved. 4-5 out of 10 voters felt race relations have gotten worse in the last few years while 3-4 of 10 polled felt they have gotten better.
These issue areas are important in providing a look at where some US citizens stand on certain issues and how this can impact voting and influence the future of the nation. There are still many issues, especially global issues that need to be addressed by US presidential candidates and asked of voters.
Sharing your opinion and voting matter. Both actions are part of using your voice to make a difference in the world.
To learn more about the issues getting less attention read about the 8 questions voters weren’t asked here, or share your own thoughts in the comments below.