New AARP Michigan Poll: 50+ Voters May Tip Scales in Midterm Election

Gov. Whitmer Holds Narrow Lead in Race for Governor

LANSING, Mich. – Today, AARP Michigan released key findings from a 2022 election survey that shows candidates should pay close attention to Michigan residents age 50 and older, with pocketbook issues such as inflation, Social Security and Medicare top of mind for these voters.

Michiganders 50+ are a crucial voting bloc, consistently showing up to the polls and making a key difference in election outcomes in Michigan. In the state’s 2018 mid-term elections, the 50+ made up 60% of the electorate.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer leads challenger Tudor Dixon 51% to 46% among all likely voters, with a similar split (50/46) among 50+ voters. There is a sizable gender gap among voters, with Gov. Whitmer leading by 17% among both women overall women 50+, while Dixon leads by 7% among men overall and 10% among men 50+.

“Michigan voters 50 and over are a critical voting demographic that all candidates are competing for in this midterm election,” said Paula Cunningham, State Director, AARP Michigan. “With the price of necessities like gas, groceries and prescription drugs so high, Michigan residents want their leaders to provide solutions to inflation and the rising cost of living. The message is clear, if candidates want to win, they should pay attention to the issues that matter to Michiganders 50-plus.”

The survey also found:

• A significant majority (71%) think the country is headed in the wrong direction, while 55% think the same about the direction of the state.
• Only 41% of voters overall say the economy is working well for them, with 61% saying they are worried about their personal financial situation.
• 88% of voters 50+ say they are extremely motivated to vote in November’s election.
• When asked whether inflation or the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is personally more important in deciding who to vote for, 54% of voters 50+ said inflation, while 41% chose the Roe ruling. 

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward & Impact Research to conduct a survey. The firms interviewed 1,365 likely Michigan voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 500 likely voters, with an oversample of 550 likely voters age 50 and older and an additional oversample of 315 Black likely voters age 50 and older, between August 8-14, 2022. The interviews were conducted via landline (30%), cellphone (35%), and SMS-to-web (35%). The margin of sampling error for the 500 statewide sample is ±4.4%; for the 850 total sample of voters 50+ is ±3.4%; for the 400 total sample of Black voters 50+ is ±4.9%.

For more information on how, when and where to vote in Michigan, visit aarp.org/MIvotes.

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Michigan media: Cathleen Simlar, csimlar@aarp.org , 248-761-7145
National media: Colby Nelson, cnelson@aarp.org , 202-706-8416