Why might some voters sit on the sidelines this election? Here’s what a new poll found

Across the country, millions of Americans already have cast their ballots in the presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. But a small sliver of the electorate may sit on the sidelines this year — for a variety of reasons, according to a new poll.

In the latest YouGov poll, 40% of registered voters said they have already voted, and another 52% said they will definitely vote. Eight percent, though, signaled that they were not fully committed to participating in the electoral process this year.

These noncommittal voters were asked why they might not vote. The poll provided 12 options to choose from, with respondents being instructed to choose all that apply.

The most common answer — selected by 32% of respondents — was “I don’t like any of the candidates,” according to the poll, which was conducted between Oct. 26 and 29. It sampled 1,587 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points.

The second most cited answer — chosen by 22% of respondents — was “my vote doesn’t matter.”

Additionally, 21% said that “I don’t have time;” 19% said “I don’t care,” and 13% said it is “too much work to research the candidates and proposals.”

The other reasons received just single-digit support, according to the poll.

Seven percent said “I don’t have a way to get to the polls,” and the same share said “I would have to vote in person and don’t want to.” Seven percent also said “other forms of political participation matter more,” including protests and petitions.

Five percent of respondents said voting is “too inconvenient;” 4 percent said “there are no competitive races where I live,” and 4 percent said “I don’t know how or where to vote.”

Historically, a large number of voters have opted out of participating in presidential elections. For example, in 2020, about one-third of the electorate did not vote, according to the Pew Research Center.

The poll comes less than one week before Election Day and amid a race that is on a razor’s edge, with Harris and Trump tied in many nationwide and swing state polls.

Because the race is so close, the winner could be determined by just a small number of voters, political experts previously told McClatchy News.

This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Why might some voters sit on the sidelines this election? Here’s what a new poll found."