Arizona Voters Prioritize Groundwater Protection and Forest Management in New Arizona Voters' Agenda

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Sep 18, 2024, 08:05 ET

Overwhelming majority support in new survey underscores longstanding commitment to sustainable practices

PHOENIX, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) today shares an update from its latest 2024 Arizona Voters' Agenda survey, offering analysis and new insights into voters' views on water and environmental issues in the lead-up to the November general election. In line with CFA's longstanding research on Shared Public Values, the data highlight strong support across political and generational lines for policies that safeguard Arizona's natural resources and address the growing threats of wildfires and the long-term management of water resources.

Arizona voters overwhelmingly agree on the importance of actively managing forest land and groundwater protection, underscoring a shared urgency for policies that can mitigate environmental risks while securing Arizona's future. These findings are consistent with the state's broader public values around sustainable practices—which CFA has tracked for nearly two decades in its research on The Arizona We Want.

"Arizona voters agree on key environmental challenges, and this consensus gives candidates a clear mandate to act," said Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO of CFA. "When it comes to protecting our water and managing our forests, voters are telling us loud and clear: these are urgent priorities for Arizona's future, and they expect leaders to take real action."

Key Policy Areas Where Voters Agree
The 2024 Arizona Voters' Agenda survey, conducted in collaboration with HighGround, Inc., an award-winning public opinion polling firm based in Arizona, reveals overwhelming support for two policies that have surpassed CFA's rigorous threshold for agreement to be deemed Voters' Agenda items and central to the electorate's priorities in this election cycle:

The survey found that 93% of voters support stronger groundwater protection measures and securing our long-term water supplies, with 77% strongly supporting such policies. Younger voters are remarkably unanimous, with 95% of voters aged 20-29 backing this position. The findings highlight an opportunity for candidates to champion comprehensive water management strategies that reflect these shared priorities.

Voters across the board support active forest management, with 92% of voters agreeing and 72% expressing strong support. This majority support includes 90% of Republicans, 93% of independent/unaffiliated voters, and 95% of Democrats, underscoring that forest management is not a partisan issue but a shared priority. Read more

Contact: Heather Thornton, [email protected], 602.538.2274

SOURCE Center for the Future of Arizona