MADISON, Wis.—Today, AARP Wisconsin released its second 2024 statewide election survey, demonstrating that candidates for president, U.S. Senate, and state races should pay close attention to Wisconsinites ages 50 and older. Ninety percent of voters ages 50 and older say they are “extremely motivated” to vote in this election, an uptick of 5 points since AARP Wisconsin’s July poll. 

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) leads former President Donald Trump (R) among voters overall, 48% - 45%, with 4% supporting other candidates and 3% undecided. The head-to-head ballot is even closer, with Harris leading Trump, 49% - 48%, and 3% undecided. Harris’ lead is due to nearly unanimous support among Democrats and an 11-point lead among Independents. Among voters 50 and older, Trump has a narrow lead, 47% - 45%. Within this cohort, Trump leads by 10 points with 50-64-year-olds, while Harris is ahead by 6 points with voters 65 and older. 

Senator Tammy Baldwin leads Eric Hovde, 50% - 47%, with 3% undecided. Among voters 50 and older, Hovde holds a 1-point lead, 50% - 49%. Voters ages 50-64 favor Hovde by 11-points, while Baldwin has an 8-point lead among those ages 65 and older. Independent voters favor Baldwin by 9 points, and she is running stronger with Democrats than Hovde is with Republicans. 

“Wisconsin voters over age 50 are the biggest voting bloc and could tip the scale for any candidate in this election,” said Martha Cranley, State Director, AARP Wisconsin. “If candidates want to win, they should pay attention to the issues that matter to voters 50 and older, from protecting Social Security to supporting family caregivers.” 

Seventy-seven percent of voters 50 and older report that candidates’ positions on Social Security are very important in deciding whom to vote for in November, followed by Medicare (69%), helping people stay in their homes as they age (63%), and the cost of prescription drugs (59%). And the vast majority (79%) of older Wisconsin voters prefer a member of Congress who wants Medicare to continue negotiations for lower drug prices.  

Other key takeaways from the poll among older voters include:  

• Immigration and border security (35%) is the most important issue when deciding who to vote for in November, followed by the economy and jobs (27%), and inflation and rising prices (24%). 
• Sixty percent of these voters cite personal economic issues – inflation and rising prices, the economy and jobs, and Social Security – as most important. 
• Swing voters over 50 make up 16% of older voters overall, and they are more likely to be Independents, moderates, and family caregivers compared to voters 50 and older overall.
• Twenty-seven percent of voters 50 and older identify as family caregivers, with 36% of older swing voters and 30% of Independents over 50 saying the same. Family caregivers make up 16% of Wisconsin voters overall, and favor Harris by 3 points, Baldwin by 7 points, and the GOP by 5 points on the state assembly generic ballot.  

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) & Impact Research (D) to conduct a survey of voters in Wisconsin. The firms interviewed 1,052 likely voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 600 likely voters, an oversample of 452 likely voters ages 50 and older. The survey was done between September 11-14, 2024. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on landline (25%) and cellphone (35%), as well as SMS-to-web (40%). The sample was randomly drawn from the Wisconsin voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 600 statewide sample is ±4.0%; for the 800 total sample of voters 50+ is ±3.5%.  

View the full survey results at aarp.org/WIpolling and find all of our state battleground polls at aarp.org/voterpolls24. Read AARP’s coverage of the poll here.   

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

 
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About AARP 
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.