MADISON, Wis. — Whether you are confident or doubtful, the results of the 2020 election continue to divide a lot of Americans.
However, recent polls show the Republicans most skeptical about the election are actually the most enthusiastic about voting.
Roughly two-thirds of the public thinks 2020's election was accurately conducted, but when you break down those numbers by party, it turns out to be nearly the opposite case for Republicans. Only about one-third believe there is no evidence of fraud, and it could be those voters who matter most.
Recent polling by Marquette Law School found that doubt in the accuracy of the 2020 election results is tied to higher enthusiasm to vote among Republicans.
“Focusing on 2020 has had this polarizing effect by party, but it does seem to mobilize the Republican base,” UW-Madison Dept. of Political Science Prof. David Canon explained.
The poll from Marquette shows how many people are enthusiastic about voting later this year. However, it does not answer why voters feel the way they do. Despite that, Canon has some ideas.
“It would be reasonable to conclude that people who are concerned about the results from 2020 would be interested in the kinds of changes in election laws the Republicans have been pushing in the state legislature,” Canon said.
Those reforms include proposals such as banning ballot drop boxes and limiting early voting.
However, for the pollster himself, Charles Franklin, the results could give us an idea about who will show up to vote for the August primary, and even beyond.
“It may also affect who wins the suburbs in November if this issue demobilizes a third of the Republican electorate, at least relative to the election deniers if you want to call them that,” Franklin said.
Those numbers, depending on a candidate's stance, could be the difference between a voter going to the polls or choosing to sit the election out.