AARP Poll: Retirement Security Program and Strengthening Support for Family Caregivers Significant to Connecticut Voters 50-Plus

Races for Connecticut’s Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer and Comptroller Tight

According to a wide-ranging survey by AARP Research, a large majority of Connecticut voters 50 and older indicated the candidates’ positions on implementing the Connecticut Retirement Security Program, supporting paid leave for family caregivers and strengthening funding for long-term care so people can age at home are among the issues that will be important as they cast their votes in the 2018 election. The survey is part of AARP’s “Be The Difference. Vote™” campaign and continues AARP’s long tradition of nonpartisan voter engagement.

• Retirement Security: 77 percent of the respondents consider it important for elected legislators to work to implement the Connecticut Retirement Security Program so more workers have a way to save for retirement.
• Paid Family Leave: 85 percent of those polled support providing paid leave to employees who take time off for family caregiving. Half of the respondents said they have provided unpaid care for an adult loved one and 58 percent of these caregivers believe taking time off impacted their ability to save for retirement.
• Long-Term Care: 80 percent would choose to receive home care over assisted living or nursing home care if an older loved one needed long-term care and 76 percent support shifting some of the state’s long-term care funds so more is spent on home care and less on institutional care.

“With a little more than one month to go before Election Day, candidates in Connecticut would be wise to listen to the state’s most powerful and reliable voting bloc: age 50-plus voters,” said Nora Duncan, state director, AARP Connecticut. “History shows older voters turn out in force and in races that are too close to call, the candidates who win in November are the candidates who focus on the issues important to older voters that impact all of us - retirement security, long-term services and supports, family caregiving, and health care affordability and accessibility.”

Tight Races for Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer and Comptroller
The poll findings also point to close races for Connecticut’s Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer and Comptroller races if the election were held today.

• The candidates for Governor are in a statistical tie among Connecticut voters age 50 and over. Of the 807 people polled, 34 percent said they would vote for Bob Stephanowki (R), 33 percent for Ned Lamont (D) and 26 percent were undecided.
• In the race for Attorney General, William Tong (D) was supported by 34 percent of those polled while 32 percent favored Susan Hatfield (R) and 30 percent were undecided.
• Nearly 40 percent of the respondents were undecided on the candidate they favored for Treasurer while 32 percent support Shawn Wooden (D) and 29 percent Thad Gray (R).
• In the race for the Comptroller seat, 33 percent of those polled support Kevin Lembo (D), 28 favor Kurt Miller and 36 percent remained undecided.

Learn more about the candidates seeking your support in Connecticut this election at a Guide to Becoming an Informed Voter.

The Importance of Key Electoral Issues
At least seven in ten of Connecticut’s 50-plus voters indicated that candidates’ positions on lowering health care costs, strengthening and reforming Social Security, addressing rising prescription drug costs, strengthening and reforming Medicare, and jobs and the economy were very important to them.

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Summary of Other Key Findings:
The Connecticut poll found:

• 94 percent of 50-plus voters in Connecticut think Medicare is very important for people’s health in retirement, and 87 percent agree Congress should make changes to ensure the program can continue to cover hospital benefits as it does now beyond 2029.
• 83 percent believe it is unfair to deny coverage or make those with pre-existing conditions pay more for their health care.
• 86 percent do not agree with allowing insurance companies to charge older people up to five times more for health insurance.
• 87 percent of Connecticut voters 50 and older say Social Security is very important for financial security in retirement, and 74 percent believe the government should do something immediately to strengthen Social Security.
• 84 percent support providing an income tax credit to family caregivers, regardless of whether they have been caregivers.

While many Connecticut voters age 50 and older (43% percent) generally see the U.S. economy getting stronger, this optimism is not reflected in their own financial security with eight in ten (81 percent) feeling like they are not getting ahead. Political divisiveness is a top concern among 48 percent of Connecticut voters age 50 and older and 53 percent disapprove of the job President Trump is doing. When asked about the performance of Congress in Washington, D.C., 48 percent disapprove of the Democrats and 56 percent the Republicans.

The survey is part of AARP’s “Be the Difference. Vote” campaign designed to encourage older Americans to make their voices heard at the ballot box this fall. For more information on AARP’s "Be The Difference. Vote," campaign and to pledge to vote in this year’s elections, go to www.aarp.org/vote.

The poll, conducted by Alan Newman Research, surveyed 807 Connecticut voters 50 and older between September 12-20, 2018, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points. View full survey results at www.aarp.org/2018StateVoterSurveys.

AARP does not endorse candidates or make contributions to political parties, political campaigns or candidates.