WASHINGTON (AP) — Economic concerns were the dominant concern as voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s election, according to preliminary results from the AP Voter Poll.
The results of the sweeping survey of more than 17,000 voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California and New York City suggested the public is alarmed by an economy that appears to be trapped by higher prices and fewer job opportunities.
And a year after President Donald Trump was brought back to the White House on promises that he could curb inflation and boost growth, economic concerns were still on voters’ minds. Despite a rising stock market, inflation remains high and hiring has slowed sharply. Since October, the federal government shutdown has only increased feelings of uncertainty.
While Trump has tried to highlight his efforts to deport immigrants in the country illegally and to deploy federal agents and National Guard troops to cities to fight crime, few voters saw those issues as the biggest concern where they live.
These broader economic fears were accompanied by widespread discontent in some off-year elections. More than half of voters in New Jersey and Virginia said they were “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the state of affairs in the country.
The economic challenges have impacted in different ways at the local level. Most voters in New Jersey said property taxes are a “big problem,” while most voters in New York City said the same about housing costs. Most Virginia voters said they felt at least some impact from recent federal government cuts.
Most voters said they were stuck financially
Most voters said their own finances are stable, but the survey results suggest many feel they are stuck getting ahead in the current economic climate. This leaves them feeling stuck instead of climbing the financial ladder.
About six in 10 voters in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City said their family’s finances were “stable,” but relatively few felt they were “making progress,” and about a quarter said they were “falling behind.”
About half of Virginia voters choosing between Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears said the economy was their state’s most essential issue. Only 2 in 10 mentioned health care, about 1 in 10 mentioned education or immigration, and fewer than that said crime was the commonwealth’s biggest problem.
Most New Jersey voters choosing between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill said either taxes or the economy was the biggest issue in their state. About a third of voters cited each of these issues, compared to about two in 10 who said the same about health care. Less than one in ten cited immigration or crime as a top issue.
Just over half of New York voters said the cost of living was the most essential issue in the city – as rental costs and income inequality rose in America’s most populous city. Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani is running against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. About a quarter said crime was their biggest concern. Another tenth said this in relation to immigration, and less than one in ten said healthcare or transport was the main problem.
Dissatisfaction with the direction of the country
The poll found high levels of dissatisfaction in several states about America’s trajectory as a country, a sign that few voters have so far felt reassured by Trump’s return to the White House.
Democratic-led California asked its residents on Tuesday to vote on a plan to redraw the boundaries of its congressional districts after Trump pushed Republican states like Texas to change their district boundaries in hopes of helping GOP candidates in next year’s midterm elections.
About half of California voters described themselves as “angry” about the country’s development, while another two in ten said they were “dissatisfied.”
About six in 10 voters in Virginia and New Jersey said they were “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the state of affairs in the country today. Only a third said they were “enthusiastic” or “satisfied.”
Federal cuts hit Virginia voters, while New Jersey voters worry about taxes
People are stressed about affordability, but it manifests itself in different ways.
In Virginia, federal government layoffs and funding cuts initiated by the Trump administration appeared to be taking their toll. About six in 10 voters said federal government cuts this year had affected their family’s finances “a lot” or “a little.” These economic problems could worsen if the shutdown continues and federal employees and contractors are forced to forego paychecks.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, property taxes and electricity costs raised alarms. About 7 in 10 voters in New Jersey called property tax rates where they live a “big problem,” and about 6 in 10 said the same about their utility bills. Sherrill, the Democrat, used cost-of-living issues to attack Trump, while Ciattarelli has suggested tax cuts would support ease inflation.
In New York City, about 7 in 10 voters said housing costs were “a big problem” where they live, with renters particularly likely to cite it as a problem. Fewer voters described crime as “a major problem” in the city.
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The 2025 AP Voter Survey, conducted by SSRS from October 22 to November 4, includes representative samples of registered voters in California (4,490), New Jersey (4,336), New York City (4,943) and Virginia (4,817). The AP Voter Survey combines data collected from validated registered voters online and by telephone with data collected in person from voters on Election Day in approximately 30 counties per state or city, excluding California. Respondents can complete the survey in English or Spanish. The overall margin of sampling error for voters, accounting for the design effect, is plus or minus 2.0 percentage points in California, 2.0 percentage points in New Jersey, 2.1 percentage points in New York City, and 1.9 percentage points in Virginia.
