Center for Social Innovation
There are arguably historic levels of anxiety leading up to the 2020 presidential election, and forthcoming UCR research holds the party faithful on one side are feeling it more than the other.
In 2016, UCR psychology researcher Kate Sweeny conducted a survey of voters for eight weeks leading up to the election. In that survey, she found similar levels of anxiety among supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Sweeny has evaluated the first batch of results from a similar, five-week research project on anxiety and the 2020 election. This time, the results from about 450 participants are showing more anxiety among Biden voters than supporters of Donald Trump. Sweeny said the first week’s data shows anxiety of 4.6 on a 7-point scale for Biden voters, and 3.9 for Trump supporters.
UCR political science professors say the 2020 findings make sense, as they say Democratic voters face concerns Trump voters don’t.
They’re worried the president won’t concede if he loses. They are worried about Russian interference in the election; about GOP challenges to mail-in ballots.
“It’s not generally the case that democracy is highlighted as a campaign issue,” said Jennifer Merolla, a UCR professor of political science. “But this cycle, Democratic elites are making the case that democracy itself is on the ballot.”