Pew: Most Expect COVID-19 Will Disrupt Election

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Two thirds of respondents to a Pew Research Center survey said they expect that virus will impair their ability to vote in the presidential election. 

The survey was conducted April 7-12 among 4,917 U.S. adults participating in Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel. 

The survey found that 67% of Americans--80% of Democrats, but only half of Republicans--said it was either somewhat or very likely that COVID-19 would significantly disrupt the ability to vote for President. 

Not surprisingly, the survey also found a majority would favor the option of voting by mail, though again the breakdown diverged markedly by party--87% of Democrats favor that option, but only 49% of Republicans. 

The margin of error for the study is plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.