Almost everyone already knows who they're voting for; here's who's still deciding
One in six registered voters still hasn’t decided who they’re voting for in the November presidential election, a new Gallup poll found.
According to Gallup, Democrats are slightly more decided than Republicans: 93% of Democrats have made up their mind, while 86% of Republicans say they have done the same.
That leaves about one in six registered voters (16%) still undecided about who to vote for. About 60% of independents have made up their minds; 35% have not, Gallup says.
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The poll also found that 79% of Americans say they have given "quite a lot" of thought to the election, surpassing the previous August high of 74% in 2008.
A Maryland voter fills out a primary ballot on May 14, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Harris campaign drives surge in voter enthusiasm
President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his reelection bid fueled a surge in election enthusiasm among the Democrats, but Republicans and independents have their doubts about the quick push to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris.
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In March, 55% of Democrats and left-leaning voters said they were more enthusiastic than usual about voting. Today, that number is up to 78%. The survey was conducted from Aug. 1 - Aug. 20, mostly before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago but after Biden opted not to run again.
Republicans and Republican leaners, who held a slight edge in enthusiasm in March, now trail Democrats by a significant margin, with their current 64% enthusiasm score up slightly from 59% in the spring before Donald Trump accepted the nomination.
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Still, the increase in voter enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle could propel voter turnout to surpass what it was in 2020, which was the highest turnout in more than a century, Gallup says.
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Gallup found similarly high enthusiasm in September 2020, October 2008 and August 2004 surveys.
Nearly nine in 10 U.S. adults surveyed (88%) say it makes a real difference to them who is elected president.
Where Harris, Trump stand in the polls
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published Thursday shows Harris leading Trump 45% to 41%. A new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll also places Harris ahead of Trump as of Aug. 29 (48%-43%).
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published in mid-August found that Harris has an advantage over Trump on several leadership traits like honesty and discipline, but Americans are slightly more likely to trust the former president on the economy and immigration.