If just thinking about the upcoming 2020 election makes you feel anxious, you’re not alone.

Results from the 2019 Chapman University Survey of American Fears (CSAF) reveal that 47.5% of Americans are ‘afraid or very afraid’ of the outcome of the 2020 election. This fear is the 21st highest fear that Americans have ranking just above random/mass shootings and biological warfare for the 2019 survey.

However, there are distinct differences in who fears the outcome of the 2020 election.  These differences are clearest between Americans who have different political ideologies, political party affiliations, education levels, races, and ages.

For example, 74.6% of Liberals fear the outcome of the 2020 election whereas the percentage for Conservatives is 29.5%.  Likewise, 58.5% of Hispanics fear the outcome of the 2020 election whereas the percentage for Whites is 43.8% and the percentage for Asians/Chinese/Japanese is 38.8%.

Further, 70.7% of Americans who have some postgraduate education and 59.6% of Americans who have a postgraduate degree fear the outcome of the 2020 election whereas the percentage for Americans who are high school graduates or who did not complete high school are 37.0% and 33.3% respectively.

We do see a positive trend for education level. Americans with higher levels of education fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than Americans with lower levels of education.

 

For age, there is also a positive trend where younger Americans fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than older Americans.]

For income categories, no such trend exists.  For example, 55.6% of Americans who make $30,000 to under $40,000 fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than any other income category.  However, the percentage for Americans who make $100,000 to under $150,000 is 53.6%, which is interesting because these income levels are farther apart.

Who fears the outcome of the 2020 election the most?

In terms of political ideology and party affiliation, Liberals (74.60%) and Democrats (72.0%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than their counterparts.  In terms of education level, Americans who have some postgraduate education (70.7%) and have a postgraduate degree (59.6%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than those with lower levels of education.  In terms of race, Hispanics (58.5%) and Blacks (55.2%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than other racial groups.

Females (51.5%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than males.  The 18-29 age group (54.2%) fears the outcome of the 2020 election more than any other age group.  Americans who fear corrupt government officials (52.1%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than Americans who do not fear corrupt government officials.  Americans who fear capitalism (62.7%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than Americans who fear other economic ideologies. Americans who live in the North East (52.4%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than Americans who live in other census regions.  Americans who stated they are not religious (51.8%) fear the outcome of the 2020 election more than Americans who stated they were religious.

 

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This post was written by Muhammad Karkoutli, Earl Babbie Research Center Fellow, Chapman University, Class of 2020.