RespectAbility "Poll Resutlts" for Friday, 31 October 2014
Hello friend!
Recently we released a poll (see below) showing that a massive number of voters either have a disability or a loved one with a disability. The poll was bipartisan — done by leading pollsters Democrat Stan Greenberg PhD and Republican Whit Ayres PhD. The poll definitively showed that campaigning on jobs for people with disabilities could be THE winning issue in tight races. So far however, to my knowledge, the only campaign focusing on these issues is Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. His campaign is running a TV ad about the great work he has done there to expand job and other opportunities for people with disabilities. But even in tight races, like the governor's race in Wisconsin, where the incumbent, Governor Scott Walker, has done a huge amount to expand jobs for people with disabilities, there has been barely a mention of it in the campaign. Maybe it is because in the Texas governor's campaign the use of disability as an issuebackfired for Democratic candidate Wendy Davis who is running against Republican Greg Abbott, who happens to use a wheelchair. But it wasn't the fact disability was shown that was a problem — it was the WAY it was shown. The fact is that many people are awkward around disability issues. A recent campaign worth seeing is being done outside of politics on these issues. Take a look here as it uses humor to end the awkwardness. But we know this is still an issue, so watch for an announcement soon from us about a free webinar on "Disability Etiquette". Meanwhile, campaign 2016 has already started. Our group is not partisan, so we don't take sides other than we want ALL the candidates to stand up for people with disabilities. Thus, we don't want any candidate to miss out on speaking to our issues and community the next time. So don't forget to vote on Tuesday — and get engaged for the future! Indeed - with the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) the governor of every state will have a legal obligation to create a "unified plan" to improve career opportunities for people with disabilities. So we want good people in governor's offices around the country! All the best, Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi President, RespectAbility Bi-partisan poll of key battleground states presented by top pollsters, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg PhD of Quinlan Rosner Research and Republican Pollster Whit Ayes, PhD of Northstar Opinion. Click here to download slide presentation. Download the full poll questionnaire here. Washington, DC. Marking the start of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, RespectAbilityUSA is releasing a new bi-partisan survey conducted by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg PhD of Quinlan Rosner Research and Republican Pollster Whit Ayes, PhD of Northstar Opinion. The battleground state survey of 1000 likely 2014 voters finds that swing voters in Senate and Governors races are more likely to vote for a candidate who makes a high priority of "enabling citizens with disabilities to get jobs and become independent." Overall voters are similarly more likely to support candidates for U.S. Senate making this a priority at 49 percent versus 5 percent. While for Governors it is 53 percent versus 3 percent. Key swing voter groups in these battleground states are more likely to vote for senate candidates who support these policies.  Fully 56 percent of voters report having a family member or close friend with a disability, 43 percent do not. This is similar to US Census numbers* 15 percent report having a disability, 31 percent have a family member with a disability and 10 percent have a close friend with a disability. The poll showed that amongst likely voters with disabilities that 31 percent are Democrats, 31 percent are Independents and 36 percent are Republicans. Amongst their family members it is 35 percent Democrats, 33 percent Independents, 30 percent Republicans. For their close friends it is 36 percent Democrats, 38 percent Independents, and 24 percent Republicans. Said Stan Greenberg, PhD," "Issues of employment among people with disabilities can affect outcomes in competitive races for Senate and Governor. This community is far bigger than many people realize, including people in my profession." Likewise, Republican Whit Ayres commented "We are accustomed to thinking about "soccer moms", "Hispanics" or "values voters." But this poll shows that Americans with disabilities – and those who care deeply about them are a demographic we need to pay attention to in the future." Today, 70 percent of people with disabilities (PwDs) are not employed, even though polls show that most of them would prefer to work. "Our nation was founded?on the principle that anyone who works?hard should be able to get ahead in life," commented founder and president of RespectAbilityUSA, Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi. "This poll demonstrates that Americans on both sides of the aisle will vote for candidates who share their belief that people with disabilities deserve to be?able to work to achieve the American?dream, just like anyone else." The poll comes after the U.S. has recently passed the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA). However, WIOA has not yet been implemented. The next governor of every state will have the opportunity to dramatically shape these policies, and voters are demanding results. While voters are saying they want candidates who are committed to jobs and opportunities for citizens with disabilities, they don't feel they are getting it today. A majority of Americans (54%) think that the state government is "not doing enough/not doing anywhere near enough" to "help people with disabilities get jobs and become independent" while 28% think the state is "doing more than enough/enough." While a majority respond the government is "not doing enough/not doing anywhere near enough", over 30 percent more Democrats (73 percent) believe the government is not doing enough versus 40 percent of Republicans feel the same. The partisan split is more pronounced on the role of the federal government. Overall, likely voters respond similarly to the question of whether the federal government is doing enough to "help people with disabilities get jobs and become independent." More than half, 52 percent believe the federal government is "not doing enough/not doing anywhere near enough"(Dem 67, Rep 38), 35 percent believe it is "doing more than enough/enough" (Dem 19, Rep 49). One of the biggest barriers for work is an outdated benefits system which was written for another time when it was assumed that people with disabilities would be dependent their whole lives. The Federal government literally called these programs "Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled." These days new technology, medical breakthroughs, and a recognition that people with disabilities want to work have destroyed this antiquated thinking. There is strong bi-partisan support, nearly 8 out of 10 voters, are for increasing the current caps on monthly income ($1,070) and assets ($2,000) of people with disabilities in order to allow them to earn more without risking their benefits. Fully 88 percent of Democrats support this increase, 9 percent oppose and 68 percent of Republicans support, 26 percent oppose. Beyond personal support for changing this policy, 71 percent of Democrats and 40 percent of Republicans are more likely to vote for a candidate for U.S. Senate who supports this change. Only 5 percent of Democrats and 13 percent of Republicans are less likely to vote for senate candidates based on this issue. Fully 88 percent feel that as a customer it is important "that the companies you do business with do not discriminate against qualified people with disabilities." Over 60 percent feel that this is "very important." And, despite the low levels of employment of people with disabilities, a nearly unanimous electorate (98%) is open and supportive to hiring more people with disabilities responding that if they were an employer, manager or small business owner, they would be "willing to hire a qualified person with a disability." "Businesses should recognize that there are over 56 million Americans with disabilities. They are not only voters, they are consumers," commented Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, founder & president of RespectAbilityUSA. Nearly two-thirds of voters (65%) surveyed favor the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, also known as the Disability Treaty. The Disability Treaty is an international human rights treaty of the United Nations modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act. This Treaty encourages the adoption of laws around the world that promote accessibility, equal opportunities and end abuse and discrimination of people with disabilities. Only 23 percent oppose the treaty. Said Mizrahi, "The majority of likely American voters are experiencing disability, either because they have a disability or have a loved one who does. It impacts voting, and elected officials need to pay attention. We want jobs and we want them now!" This bi-partisan survey was conducted by the Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and the Republican polling firm North Star Opinion Research in the Senate Battleground. The survey of 1000 likely 2014 voters was conducted from September 20-24, 2014. The Senate Battleground is comprised of AK, AR, CO, GA, IA, KY, LA, MI, MT, NH, NC, and WV. Unless otherwise noted, margin of error= +/-3.10 percentage points at 95% confidence. 40 percent of respondents were reached by cell phone, in order to account for ever-changing demographics and trying to accurately sample the full American electorate. WHIT AYRES  Whit Ayres is a leading Washington, D.C. political consultant with over 30 years of experience in polling and survey research for high profile political campaigns and associations.STANLEY B. GREENBERG  Stan Greenberg has served as polling advisor to presidents and prime ministers, CEOs, and dozens of tough campaigns in the US and around the world, including President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Nelson Mandela, as well as the national leaders in Israel, Europe and Latin America. |
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