NSBA Survey: No Party Owns Small-Business Vote

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Jun 20, 2014, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Small Business Association (NSBA) today released the 2014 Politics of Small Business Survey which provides detailed insight on the political opinions and activity of America's small-business owners. The survey illustrates the implications of growing partisan rancor with a less involved small-business community increasingly frustrated with their elected officials.

"Today's small-business owner remains strikingly independent despite their party affiliation: 82 percent say they don't vote a straight party ticket and 78 percent rank economic and fiscal issues as the top factor in determining how they vote," stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken.

Among the key findings, 95 percent of small-business owners say they vote regularly in national contests, down slightly from 97 percent in 2012, and there was a drop among those who reported contacting their elected officials. Today, 63 percent of small firms say they contributed money to a candidate's campaign, down from 69 percent in 2012, and those who contributed to a political action committee was more than cut in half.

The NSBA survey found that small-business owners' party affiliations are split roughly in thirds, with slightly more affiliating with the Republican party. Those affiliations play a significant role when it came to ranking which party is better on a variety of small-business issues. Interestingly, in rating which party was better on these issues, the option "neither party" was the highest rated response on more issues than not.

"Further underscoring their frustration, the significant majority of small-business owners agree that politics have become more partisan in the last 10 years and 37 percent say neither party best represents their small business—up from 26 percent just two years ago," stated NSBA Chair Jeff Van Winkle of Clark Hill in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

NSBA is releasing the Politics Survey in conjunction with a revamped 70 Million Strong campaign focused on get-out-the vote initiatives, featuring resources for employers including how to talk about elections with their employees.

Click here to download the survey.

Celebrating more than 75 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America's entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation's first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate.

SOURCE National Small Business Association