New survey reveals 6 issues Arizona voters across political spectrum want to change

PHOENIX — A new survey from the Center for the Future of Arizona identified six topics that Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters can agree need change.

Researchers said the top Arizona voting issues were housing, elections, education, taxes/state spending, immigration, housing and water/the environment.

The center’s CEO, Sybil Francis, said it’s important to hammer down the Arizona voter agenda ahead of the general election on Nov. 5.

“Our objective, really, is to identify areas where we find agreement among Arizona’s likely voters,” Francis told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.

How researchers found top 6 Arizona voting issues

The center conducts two surveys per election cycle. Surveyors ask respondents if they agree or disagree on a series of statements that pertain to various political topics.

If at least 50% of all likely voters agree a topic needs change, the center lists the topic as one of the top Arizona voting issues.

The center works with HighGround, Inc. to conduct its surveys.

Primary system, equal voting access top Arizona voting issues

The latest 2024 Arizona Voters’ Agenda survey also uncovered broad support for equal access to voting as well as upgrading the way primary elections work.

In fact, 96% of voters agreed it’s important that all registered voters have equal access to casting ballots regardless of their party affiliation.

Other responses revealed dissatisfaction with the Arizona election system.

Furthermore, 77% agreed that changes must be made to the primary system so voters could elect leaders who represent more than just a small segment of voters.

Additionally, 59% of respondents thought both political parties were too ideologically extremely and shouldn’t have preferential treatment in the election system.

These results come ahead of the Prop 140 ballot initiative, which is about about changing the partisan primary system, which voters will decide the future of during Election Day.

“A majority of Arizona voters feel that are partisan primary system is not working to represent the broad interests of Arizona,” Francis said. “Our current partisan primary system makes it harder for independents to vote.”

More takeaways from Arizona voter survey 2024

There were several other findings from the survey, which came out less than two months before the general election.

“We found that 80% of likely voters believe our democracy is under threat at at risk for future generations,” Francis said.

However, the good news is that 81% of respondents believed their vote could improve their democracy. A further 94% said it’s easier to participate in elections nowadays.

Francis also said this survey on Arizona voting issues could help political candidates discover what the people casting ballots truly care about.

“We do find pretty significant gaps between what Arizona voters are telling us matters to them and what we hear candidates for office talking about,” Francis said. “Politics are polarized, but the voters are not so polarized.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Heidi Hommel contributed to this report.