Baltimore County voters say reproductive freedom and inflation drove them to the polls, UMBC survey finds
BALTIMORE -- UMBC's Battleground Exit Poll took a look at how Baltimore County voted in the 2024 election.
The survey analyzed voters attitudes about the Presidential, U.S. Senate, and congressional vote choices and key issues.
It also examined the factors determining voters decisions, attitudes towards abortion, economic perceptions, trust in government, and more.
The poll surveyed 1,119 voters on October 31 during early voting (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and on Election Day, November 5, 2024.
Reproductive Freedom
Question: Question 1 is a proposed Constitutional Amendment to the Maryland Constitution. It "confirms an individual's fundamental right to reproductive freedom." Did you vote for or against Question 1?
73% of those surveyed said they voted for Question 1, a Constitutional Amendment to the Maryland Constitution that protects the "ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end" a pregnancy.
On the topic of abortion, 69% of participants said they were pro-Choice, while 20% said they were pro-life.
U.S. Economy
In the past year, would you say the U.S. economy has gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same?gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same? On, and if so, what method did you use?
When it comes to the U.S. Economy, 32% of those polled said the economy has gotten worse in the past year.
Maryland Economy
Question: Now thinking about Maryland, would you say the Maryland economy has gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same?
Overall, poll respondents voted that they felt the Maryland economy has gotten worse, with 28% saying they felt the economy has stayed the same. 19% percent of respondents felt the economy was "much worse"
Key Political Issues
Question: We would like to ask you a few questions about your opinions on current political issues. Of the following issues, what were the most important ones that you thought about when making your voting decisions?
Respondents viewed abortion and bodily autonomy, inflation, and the honesty and trustworthiness of politicians as the top three most important political issues. Taxes, gun control, and race issues as least important.
Political Trust
Question: "How often do you believe you can trust the U.S. government to do what is right?,"
53% of respondents said they trusted the government to do what is right "some of the time," while 34% of respondents said they rarely trust the government. 8% said never.
News Gathering
Question: Of the following, please indicate which sources you use to get news about politics at least once per week. Choose all that apply.
The majority of survey participants (55%) said they get their news about politics from social media. 42% said they get their political news from cable television, followed by 42% for local TV, and 34% for radio, podcasts, and digital audio sources. 33% of participants said they get their political news from websites or print newspapers.
You can view all the Battleground Exit Poll results here.