ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Today, AARP Maryland released a 2024 statewide election survey revealing that candidates for president, U.S. Senate, and state races should pay close attention to Marylanders ages 50 and older, who make up an outsized portion of the electorate. In the 2020 elections, older voters accounted for 53% of all Maryland voters and in the 2022 mid-terms, they made up 62% of the state’s voters. Eighty-seven percent of voters ages 50 and older say they are “extremely motivated” to cast a ballot in November, compared with 70% of voters ages 18-49 saying the same.

In the race for the open U.S. Senate seat, former Governor Larry Hogan (R) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) are tied, 46% - 46%. The race is close among voters 50 and older as well, with Hogan leading Alsobrooks by two points, 47% - 45%. Two key demographics, women voters 50 and older and caregivers 50 and older, are narrowly divided, with Alsobrooks leading by 4 points among older women and by 1 point with caregivers.

“Voters 50 and older are the biggest and most enthusiastic voting bloc in this election, and their votes will make the difference in the tight U.S. Senate race this year,” said Hank Greenberg, AARP Maryland State Director. “Candidates need to focus on the issues that matter most to older voters, from protecting Social Security and Medicare to supporting family caregivers to securing an economic future for themselves and their families.”

The presidential contest in Maryland sees a large lead for Vice President Kamala Harris (D) over former President Donald Trump (R). Harris leads Trump by thirty-two points in a head-to head contest.

Independent voters will be key to the U.S. Senate and presidential races in Maryland. AARP's new polling finds that Hogan has a 23-point lead with independent voters, while Harris has a 14-point lead among independent voters.

Older voters are the highest-turnout demographic and with this race so close, candidates need to be paying attention to the issues that matter most to older voters. Seventy-nine percent of voters ages 50 and older say that candidate positions on Social Security are very or extremely important to making their decision in November, followed by Medicare (72%) and policies that help seniors live independently at home (72%).

Other key takeaways from the poll among voters 50 and older include:

• The economy and jobs (28%) comprise the most important issue when deciding who to vote for in November, followed by inflation and rising prices (24%), threats to democracy (24%) and immigration and border security (24%).  
• Over half (52%) say Social Security is or will be a major source of their income.
• Thirty-one percent of older voters identify as family caregivers with 35% of older swing voters and 40% of older Black voters saying the same.
• Fifty-nine percent of older voters are worried about their personal financial situation, which is reflected in the issues that these voters care about: 57% of voters 50 and older rank economic issues as the most important issues in the election.

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) & Impact Research (D) to conduct a survey of voters in Maryland. The firms interviewed 1,258 likely voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 600 likely voters, an oversample of 482 likely voters ages 50 and older, and an additional oversample of 176 Black likely voters ages 50 and older. The survey was done between August 14-20, 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 Maryland 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%; for the 400 total sample of Black voters 50+ is ±4.9%.

View the full survey results at aarp.org/MDpolling 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 Maryland, visit aarp.org/MDvotes.  

###

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.