Economy, democracy most important to Virginia voters on election day

(The Center Square) — Virginians are thinking about the economy as they cast their votes on Tuesday, but another issue may surprise some.

In polls leading up to the election, the economy consistently ranked as the most important issue for Virginians. Still, many respondents indicated that “protecting democracy” or “threats to democracy” was also of primary importance in the election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump—even more so than immigration or abortion.

In an early September poll conducted by The Washington Post and George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, 87% of respondents indicated the economy was a “more important” issue to them, with 52% of respondents saying it was “extremely important” and 35% saying it was “very important.” “Protecting American Democracy” was a more important issue to the same number of respondents – 87% – but more said it was “very important” (62%) than “extremely important” (25%).

An early September University of Mary Washington poll showed the same thing: that “threats to democracy” was the second-biggest concern for voters after the economy. That poll divided the “economy and jobs” and “inflation” into two categories. Twenty percent chose the former as “the most important problem facing the nation”; 19% indicated the latter. Nineteen percent selected threats to democracy. Just 13% indicated immigration and only 5% (very low compared to other polls) indicated abortion.

Christopher Newport University conducted a poll at the end of September and into October and found that inflation and the economy were top of mind for most of those surveyed (29%), followed by “threats to democracy” (18%) and then immigration and abortion (11% and 10%).

In a May Roanoke College survey, the economy ranked as the most important issue to 44% of those polled, and immigration and abortion were most important to 14% and 13% of respondents. However, 14% of respondents indicated that “something else” ranked higher among their priorities.