Ohio Women Voters Want Action on Social Security, Candidate Positions as Crucial Program Has 81st Birthday

Neither Candidate Has Majority of Crucial Women Voters

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Aug 17, 2016, 02:22 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP Ohio released results of a new poll of likely women Ohio voters age 50 and over who believe candidates have not done enough to tell them about their Social Security plans and also believe that within several years, the next President needs to take action to update the program.

A majority of women voters in Ohio believe cuts to social security benefits would have an impact on their lives and want the next president to take action now.

According to AARP's study, 73% of women voters in Ohio believe the next president and Congress need to act immediately to update Social Security, and 52% saying they would be impacted if the program is not updated by 2034, when beneficiaries could face a cut of nearly a quarter of their benefits.

"Women depend on Social Security. We have longer life expectancies, so we rely on the benefits for a longer time. To be completely frank, women voters don't want a sound bite; they want a candidate's plan," said Nancy LeaMond, EVP and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer for AARP.

When asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, the likely Ohio women voters chose Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump 45% to 29%, with the 22% of remaining respondents' undecided or choosing another candidate. Remaining somewhat consistent with candidate preference, but with a majority of voters, Clinton has an edge over Trump in being perceived as a leader who would keep Social Security strong, with 52% of respondents saying Clinton would do a better job, and 32% who think Trump would do a better job.

Additionally, when asked if they had heard about the candidates' Social Security plans, survey respondents indicated the vast majority had not, with just 31% hearing about Clinton's plan, and 19% hearing about Trump's plan.

AARP's Take A Stand is a national campaign focused on elevating the importance of taking steps now to keep Social Security strong and adequate for future generations. Among other program elements, AARP Take A Stand volunteers across the country are attending campaign events by 2016 Presidential candidates and asking them for their plans for Social Security.

This survey was conducted by telephone from August 1, 2016 through August 7, 2016 by Lake Research Partners and American Viewpoint for AARP. The survey reached a total of 545 women ages 50+ in Ohio who are likely to vote in the 2016 general election, with a margin of error of +/- 4.2%.

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SOURCE AARP Ohio