What Texas Voters Really Want in 2026: Live Research from the Lone Star State
Texas Democrats have done something historic - they've fielded a candidate in every single race on the 2026 ballot. That's never happened before in modern Texas history. With 14 State House seats to flip and the national spotlight on the Lone Star State, I wanted to understand what voters actually care about heading into the midterms.
So I ran a quick study with real American voters. Not focus groups. Not Twitter polls. Actual synthetic personas grounded in census data and validated by EY to correlate 95% with traditional research. The results? Eye-opening.
The Study: 6 Voters, 3 Questions, Unfiltered Answers
We recruited 6 voters from across America - from Ohio to Oregon, Minnesota to California. We asked them three simple questions about the 2026 midterms:
1. What are the top issues that will determine how you vote?
2. What political messaging resonates with you - and what turns you off?
3. What would make you actually show up to vote and maybe even volunteer?
The answers were detailed, personal, and surprisingly consistent across demographics. Here's what we learned.
Key Finding #1: Kitchen-Table Economics Dominate Everything
Every single voter mentioned the cost of living within their first few sentences. Groceries, rent, utilities, gas bills - these aren't abstract policy issues. They're the monthly math that determines whether people can make ends meet.
"I vote my wallet and my back," said Billy from Duluth, Minnesota. "If you make our month steadier and cheaper, you're in the mix. If you play games with food and heat, you're out. Pretty simple."
Elizabeth from Akron put it even more directly: "Cost of living: groceries, rent, and these heating bills. Don't play games with SNAP or surprise fees on utilities."
For Texas Democrats, this means the messaging needs to be specific and practical. Not "fighting for working families" - that's too vague. Instead: "Here's how we'll cap utility rate hikes. Here's what that saves you per month."
Key Finding #2: Voters Want Plain Talk, Not Politics-Speak
The messaging question revealed something crucial: voters are exhausted by political theatrics. They want candidates who "talk like a neighbour, not a brand."
Patricia from Gresham, Oregon, was particularly clear: "If you cannot land the point before my acetone dries, I am done." She works at a nail salon and skims political content between clients. If messaging isn't clear in two minutes, it's gone.
What works? According to our voters:
- One-page mailers with 3-5 concrete promises and a phone number
- Local volunteers who can speak to specific issues without reading a script
- Town halls at libraries or church basements with chairs, coffee, and real Q&A
- Texts that are rare, short, and respect when people say STOP
What kills engagement? Attack ads with scary music. Triple-match fundraising spam. Culture-war bait. QR-code-only everything. Vague promises without timelines.
Key Finding #3: Make Voting Easy - Like, Actually Easy
The turnout question was revealing. These voters already vote. The challenge is getting them to do more - bring neighbours, volunteer, spread the word.
John from Denver summed it up: "Give me a 3-point script on one card. No doom lines, no buzzwords. Something I can repeat to Elena over dinner."
Accessibility matters enormously. Elizabeth mentioned needing indoor polling with chairs, posted wait times, and a shuttle or bus pass. "If the line is long, offer a number so I can sit and come back. I appreciate that."
For volunteer engagement, the key is respect for time and realistic asks:
- Short shifts (90 minutes, not marathons)
- Sit-down tasks for those with mobility issues
- Gas cards or bus passes for volunteers
- Clear training in 30 minutes with a simple script
- No guilt trips when life gets in the way
What This Means for Texas Democrats
Texas is different from Oregon or Ohio, but the underlying dynamics are universal. Voters everywhere want:
1. Specificity over slogans - "Here's what we'll do in the first 90 days" beats "Fighting for our values" every time.
2. Receipts and accountability - Show what you've already done. Before-and-after photos of fixed streetlights. Monthly progress updates.
3. Respect for their time - One useful text when ballots drop. Not a constant barrage of panic fundraising.
4. Local presence - Candidates who show up at the food pantry with gloves on, not just for photo ops.
With candidates in every race and national investment finally flowing to Texas, the opportunity is real. But winning requires meeting voters where they are - worried about grocery bills, sceptical of political theatre, and hungry for candidates who actually deliver.
The Full Study
This research was conducted using Ditto's synthetic consumer research platform. You can explore the full study, including all individual responses, here: Texas Voter Sentiment Research.
Want to run your own voter research? Ditto delivers insights in minutes, not months. Test messaging, track sentiment shifts, and understand what's actually landing with your target voters - all before you commit to a campaign strategy.
What the Research Revealed
We asked real voters to share their thoughts. Here's what they told us:
What would make you more likely to actually show up and vote in the 2026 midterms? What would a campaign need to do to earn your vote and your time volunteering or spreading the word?
Elizabeth Switzer, 40, Volunteer Caregiver, Akron city, OH, USA:
Cold day like this, if you want me out of the apartment to vote, make it simple and kind to my body. No hoops, no guessing, no standing in the wind. What makes me actually show up Indoor polling with chairs, clear signs, and a posted wait time. If the line is long, offer a number so I can sit and come back. I appreciate that. Weekend and evening hours that are real, not just on paper. Doors open on time. Mic works. Bathrooms unlocked. A ride or bus help - a shuttle, a day pass, or a phone number I can call for a lift that isn’t awkward. Plain one-pager mailed early with where, when, what ID, and who to call. No QR-only junk. Curbside or disability line that’s offered without me having to beg. Just say it at the door. Safety - well lit, calm, no yelling. I’m already jumpy with the news this week. How a campaign earns my vote 3-5 local promises with dates and dollars. Buses, heating help, streetlights, Medicaid hassle cuts. Show receipts after. No fear ads, no culture-war noise. Talk rent, doctors, and potholes. Period. Real contact: a phone line with a human, and monthly office hours at the library or a church basement. Honesty about costs - who pays, when it starts, what changes next month for SNAP, utilities, and clinics. Consistency - same answer on the west side and the east side. If you dodge yes-or-no, I’m out. What would get me to volunteer or spread the word Sit-down tasks for short shifts - postcards, data entry, welcome table. No door knocking in the cold, an...
Billy Smith, 39, Unemployed Adult, Duluth city, MN, USA:
Short version: make it easy on my back and prove you won’t mess with food or heat. Do that, I show up. Blow smoke or play tough-guy on peaceful folks, I stay home. Pretty simple. What gets me to actually show up and vote Mail ballot without hoops - Send it, postage paid, plain steps. I fill it at the table with a heat pad. Early vote near Lincoln Park - Warm room, chairs, no line. Curbside if my leg’s firing. Ride or bus voucher - Morning slot, in and out in 15. No standing outside at 20 below. Sample ballot in plain English - Where you stand on SNAP, LIHEAP, SSDI, roads. No fluff. Weather plan - If it’s a blizzard, extend hours. Don’t make folks choose frostbite vs voting. What earns my vote No SNAP games - No freezes, no cute cuts. Prices are tight. I watched the court stuff. Keep it funded. Faster SSDI, fewer hoops - Real person on the phone, clear steps, shorter waits. Heat and power - LIHEAP solid, fair rates, no shutoffs when it’s subzero. Roads and buses - Plows show when they say, potholes fixed, Route 2 on time. Public safety, no showboating - Peaceful folks left alone. Handle bad actors, skip the gas and TV stunts. Immigration with some dignity - Go after real criminals, not church moms on a sidewalk. Great Lakes first - Jobs, sure, but don’t risk the water. That lake feeds us. Kill junk fees - Clean bills, no traps. Explain it straight or don’t sell it. Own mistakes - Say “I blew it on X, here’s the fix.” I trust that more than a glossy card. What gets me to...
Christopher Valencia, 47, Unemployed Adult, San Diego, CA, USA:
I already vote. I drop my ballot early at the City Heights library. To make me push harder and bring people with me, I need simple proof, not noise. What gets me to show up and bring others Health costs down, in writing. Show my new monthly and my copays. Include dental. No gimmick cards. Give a start date. SDG&E honesty. Stop the junk fees. Clear rate chart. Say what you will vote for to cap hikes and when. Mail voting protected. More local drop boxes. No games with postmarks. Put the plan on one page with dates and locations. Gaza and aid. Say ceasefire, say aid, then back it with a public vote and a town hall at a rec center. No photo ops at the mosque. Come listen. Bathrooms, trash, beds. Two new 24-hour bathrooms along El Cajon by a set month. Weekly trash pickup schedule posted. More treatment beds with open slots you can point to. Work and training. Real slots for HVAC or facilities, sign-up dates, tools covered. Heat rules on warehouses spelled out. Privacy. No face scans without strict rules. No data selling. Say it plain and show the bill number you will back. Housing basics. Keep ADU rules steady. Faster small permits. Target corporate buy-ups without crushing small owners. What earns my vote and my time One-page handout, big font, English and Spanish at least. Dates, dollars, and your past votes. No QR trap. A real Q&A, 60 minutes, no shouting. After Maghrib or Sunday afternoon. Halal snacks, water, chairs. No alcohol. A neighbor-led canvass. Paper lists for ...
John Cruz, 63, Administrative Assistant, Denver, CO, USA:
Short version: I already vote by mail in Colorado. Getting me to spend extra time and talk you up takes proof, not pep talks. It’s cold out, gas bill is rude, so keep it tight and real. You get my vote when you: Hand me a simple one-pager: what you’ll do in the first 90 days, what it costs, who pays, and a real phone number with office hours. English front, clean Spanish back. Show a kitchen-table plan: fight junk fees on power bills, steady RTD service with more drivers, more shelter beds with on-site services and a cleanup schedule for sidewalks. Dates and numbers, not vibes. Say clearly you’ll protect Medicare and Social Security, push lower drug costs, and try to add some dental help. Name the first step, not the whole world. Public safety with balance: local cops who know the block, co-responder mental health teams, tight background checks. Buses and parks that feel safe. Immigration with order and basic decency. Calm heads, coordination, no showboat raids. Watching that mess in Minnesota, I want facts and a hotline, not chest-thumping. Money talk: no funny money from big utilities or developers. If you take it, say it straight and what strings aren’t attached. Accountability: two town halls a quarter at the library or rec center. Follow-up email or mailer that says what moved and what slipped. You earn my time to volunteer or spread the word when you: Give me a 3-point script on one card. No doom lines, no buzzwords. Something I can repeat to Elena over dinner. Off...
Patricia Thompson, 42, Office Manager, Gresham city, OR, USA:
Short version: I already vote. Oregon mail-in makes it easy. If you want me to hustle for you - time, neighbors, maybe a Sunday canvass after church - then give me competence, not theater. It is cool and bright here, which helps, but I am still wound up watching the Guard and DOJ circus in Minneapolis. I want adults at the wheel. What makes me more likely to not just vote but engage: One-page receipts that hit Rockwood and outer East specifically. Beds opened, units permitted, transit security shifts added, per-month targets, name of who is accountable. Post a monthly update. No fluff. Tradeoffs, in ink. If you fund more shelter or transit presence, say what gets delayed and why. If you say there is no tradeoff, I assume you are dodging. Safety that is humane. Say out loud you will not gas peaceful protesters, while also cracking down on stolen car rings and dealers. Both. Period. Lower my out-of-pocket. Show me how my premium and deductible drop this year. Even a side-by-side on one postcard. Spare me vibes. Small biz fluency. A clean path from booth rental to legal micro studio: permits, inspections, ventilation, timeline, and who to call when an inspector ghosts. Bonus if you take a swing at junk card fees. Local face time. Rockwood Library or a 181st MAX platform event with unscripted Q&A. Not a donor loft. Take heat, give a follow-up date, then show progress. What earns my vote: Housing-homelessness plan with dates and addresses. Not “exploring.” Build, open, staff....
Adriana Williams, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Rural, OR, USA:
Short version: Give me real wins I can touch, put your promises on my fridge, and stop talking to me like a mark. Do that and I’ll vote early, drag two neighbors with me, and maybe even give you a Saturday. What gets me to actually vote and not just mutter at the radio: Five promises with dates and pay-fors. One sheet of paper I can stick on the fridge. Example: “90 days - vote no on mileage tax. 6 months - cap utility hikes and claw back that joke $20 outage credit into a real credit. Fire season - fund 3 prescribed burns in our county.” Put costs and funding in plain English. Law enforcement accountability with a spine. Say it clean: body cams required, critical incident footage out on a timeline, independent review with teeth. The Renee Nicole Good shooting shook me. If you hedge or hide behind PR, I’m done. Fentanyl plan that bites and builds. Beds plus consequences. “50 detox beds by next summer, court-tied treatment, 48-hour camp cleanup, and funding for the groups that actually move folks into work.” No photo ops, just results. Schools that teach. Shop, welding, CNA, bus routes restored, phones out of classrooms, discipline that sticks. If you can name the actual failing route number, I’m listening. Protect rural living. No mileage tax, no sneering at propane or wood stoves, keep hydropower and gas in the mix. If you want me to switch, make it cheaper and reliable first. Rural infrastructure that exists. Towers not studies. Backup power for outages. Penalties when ca...
What kind of political messaging or campaign outreach resonates with you? What turns you off? Be specific about what makes you pay attention versus what makes you tune out.
Elizabeth Switzer, 40, Volunteer Caregiver, Akron city, OH, USA:
Short and concrete wins. Talk like a neighbor, not a brand. It’s icy and I’m tired, so don’t waste my time. I pay attention when... It’s a one-page mailer with plain words, 3-5 promises, a simple cost line, and when it starts. No fluff. A local volunteer knocks, says where they live, and can speak to buses, heating help, and streetlights without reading a script. If they say ope when I open the door... I trust them. There’s a town hall at the library or a church basement with chairs, a mic that works, a clear start-end time, and a phone number for rides info. Texts are rare and short, with a real opt-out. Link to a simple page, not a big video that eats data. They show receipts - here’s the crosswalk we got fixed, here’s the bus stop bench. Before-after, done. They say what it costs, who pays, and what changes next month for SNAP, Medicaid, and utilities. I appreciate that. I tune out when... Attack ads, scary crime footage, yelling. The news already has me on edge - I’m not your fear project. Endless emails and texts begging for money with triple-match nonsense and sneaky recurring boxes. Hard no. National culture-war chatter with zero plan for rent, buses, or doctors. That’s noise. Big glossy rallies in the cold, standing room, QR-code-only RSVP. If it’s not accessible, it’s not for me. Vague lines like “fight for working families” with no steps or dates. Say something real or don’t. Different answers depending on the crowd, or dodging yes-or-no. I’m not chasing you ar...
Billy Smith, 39, Unemployed Adult, Duluth city, MN, USA:
Short version: Keep it plain, local, and monthly-dollar clear. No drama, no games. That’s it. What makes me pay attention One page, fridge-ready - Five bullets tops. Groceries, heat, clinics, roads, rent. Put a monthly number next to each. If it’s a vote, say how you’ll vote. Short texts - Two lines, one link that loads on low data. No video. Respect STOP the first time. Local voice at my door - Neighbor intro, 2 minute cap, leaves a card. No guilt trip. It’s 20 below. I’m not standing in a hallway to hear a speech. Duluth specifics - Snow routes, potholes on 27th Ave W, Route 2 bus times, LIHEAP. Not national noise. Straight talk on SNAP and SSDI - Say what, when, how. If you can’t promise it, say that too. Own a mistake - “I messed up on X, here’s how I fixed it.” I trust that more than a glossy postcard. Small-room town hall - Church basement or union hall. Chairs, decaf, start on time, end on time. Facebook post in the neighborhood group - Plain bullets, comments open, answer people without snark. Calm on protests - Peaceful folks left alone, bad actors handled. No tear gas on church moms. Keep order without showboating. First 90 days checklist - Dates and tasks I can screenshot. Then report back if you miss. What makes me tune out TV attack ads with spooky music - Mute. I’m cooking anyway. Fundraising spam - “LAST CHANCE” and midnight timers, monthly box pre-checked. Delete. I hate junk fees and traps. Out-of-state text blasts - Won’t stop after STOP. Blocked. Cultu...
Christopher Valencia, 47, Unemployed Adult, San Diego, CA, USA:
I pay attention when it is plain, local, and tied to my bills. If it smells like a stunt, I toss it. What makes me pay attention One clear page that says: here is how I will cut health costs, keep SDG&E rates honest, add bathrooms and trash pickup, push a real ceasefire with aid, and protect mail voting. With dates, dollar amounts, and what you already voted for. A neighbor knocking who actually lives near City Heights, not reading a script. If they do not know, they say it and follow up. No pressure for a yard sign. Show your record, not vibes. A simple printout with votes, meetings you held, and what changed on El Cajon or at the library drop box. No QR traps. Events that fit prayer times, clear halal food labels, no alcohol. If you come to the mosque, come correct and listen, not just a photo. Useful info mailers: early vote dates, drop box locations, bus routes, languages. Big font. No fluff. Long radio or YouTube Q&A where you take tough questions. No shouting. Just straight answers. Union and community folks I trust saying, I worked with this person and they showed up. Not paid influencers. What makes me tune out Spam texts, robocalls, random DMs. Auto donation boxes set to monthly. Tracking links everywhere. Miss me with that. Glossy attack mailers with stock photos and fear colors. Last-minute slime pieces. I recycle those unopened. “Both sides” lines on Gaza while signing off on more weapons. Do not talk about peace and then dodge every hard vote. Photo ops with...
Patricia Thompson, 42, Office Manager, Gresham city, OR, USA:
Short version: talk to me like a grown woman who runs on checklists and rent due dates, not vibes and slogans. It is cool and bright here today, which helps, but I am still keyed up from watching the mess in Minneapolis. I want steady hands, not cosplay crisis actors. What makes me pay attention: Receipts. Say what gets built, where, when, how much, and how we will know it happened. Example: 120 shelter beds in East County by September, address list, per-bed cost, staffing plan, public dashboard. That gets my eyes on your mailer. Local specificity. If you name Rockwood, 181st, the Blue Line after 8 p.m., Burnside lighting, Powell Butte trailheads, I listen. If you say Portland like it is one neighborhood, I yawn. Tradeoffs on the table. Tell me what you are cutting or delaying to fund the thing. If you say there is no tradeoff, I assume you are lying. Worker and small biz fluency. Show me you understand permits, inspections, card fees, and scheduling laws. A one-pager that maps the path from booth rental to licensed micro studio will get pinned to my fridge. Safety that is humane. Visible transit presence, stolen car crackdowns, and mental health teams in plain language. Also say out loud that peaceful protesters should not be gassed. Do both. I can hold two thoughts at once. Plain talk in two minutes. I skim between clients. If you cannot land the point before my acetone dries, I am done. Real community faces. A bus operator, a night-shift nurse, a shop owner on 162nd, not...
Adriana Williams, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Rural, OR, USA:
Short answer: Talk to me like a neighbor, show your math, and show up in person. If you cannot say what you will do in three bullets and what it will cost me, I’m out. What grabs me: Concrete cost stuff. “No mileage tax. Freeze utility hikes for 12 months. Here is how we pay for it.” Put the numbers in plain sight so I can stick the mailer on the fridge. Place-based detail. If you know the grange hall, the bus route that keeps getting cut, the brownouts on the east side of town, and which canyon chokes with smoke, I listen. Don’t talk at me like a podcast from a city. Accountability with spine. On law enforcement, say it. “Release the footage. Independent review. Body cams required. Fire the ones who fail the standard.” The Renee Nicole Good shooting rattled me. I am done with PR fog. Faith-aware without Bible cosplay. Respect churches as partners for recovery beds, food pantries, childcare. Spare me cherry-picked verses to score votes. Two-way, unfiltered. Town hall at the school gym or grange, open Q&A, take the ugly questions without handlers screening them. Service before selfies. Show up at the food pantry or a wildfire cleanup with gloves on. Fewer photo ops, more shovel time. Admit tradeoffs. “More prescribed burns means some smoky days now so we do not lose whole towns later.” Grown-up talk wins. Right-sized contact. One useful text when ballots drop with polling place, hours, a short commitments list. A door knock from a local I actually know. AM radio spots during...
John Cruz, 63, Administrative Assistant, Denver, CO, USA:
Short answer: talk to me like a neighbor, show receipts, leave a phone number. If you hit me with fear or gimmicks, I’m out. It’s cold and bills are up, so keep it tight and real. I pay attention when: Someone local knocks, listens 2 minutes, and leaves a one-pager with a real phone number and office hours. No script, just plain talk. The mailer is simple, not glossy. Five bullets with costs, a timeline, and who pays. Example stuff I care about: groceries, rent, RTD reliability, shelter beds with services, junk fees on power bills. There’s a small town hall at the rec center or library. Coffee, chairs, ground rules. You take tough questions yourself and say what you don’t know. You show up at the pantry and actually work a shift. No cameras, no grandstanding. Then later, send a short follow-up with what you learned. Endorsements are local and practical. Bus drivers, nurses, firefighters, the school custodian. Not some DC celebrity. Messages are calm and concrete on hot stuff. With immigration, say how you’ll keep order and basic decency, and who is doing what. No chest-thumping. Bilingual done right. Clear English, clean Spanish if needed, names pronounced correctly. Don’t pretend you’re mi primo if you’re not. Radio spots with a steady voice, three points, and a callback number. No scary music. Just facts I can repeat to Elena over dinner. Email or text that’s rare and useful. A weekly digest tops. Link to the plan without a donation trap. I tune out when: Attack ads wi...
Thinking about the 2026 midterm elections, what are the top issues that will determine how you vote? What matters most to you and your community right now?
John Cruz, 63, Administrative Assistant, Denver, CO, USA:
Short version: my vote comes down to kitchen-table costs, safe and fair streets, and whether the folks running want to act like neighbors, not salesmen. It’s chilly out and the gas bill stings, so that’s the headspace. Cost of living - groceries, rent, utilities. Cut junk fees. Stop the price games. Housing and homelessness - more beds and real services, not just sweeps for TV. Keep sidewalks and schools clear. Both can be true. Health care and retirement - protect Medicare and Social Security. Lower drug costs. Add some help on dental, please. Wages and work - fair pay, apprenticeships, trades. Back small shops that hire locals. Public safety - cops who know the block, mental-health teams, parks and buses that feel safe. Tight background checks and red-flag laws. Immigration - order and basic decency. Watching that mess up in Minnesota, I want calm heads, not raids that spook families. Transit and streets - fix potholes, plow on time, get RTD running steady. Bike lanes that make sense. Utilities and climate - wildfire smoke, heat, water. Keep rate hikes honest. Make rooftop solar simple, no gotchas. Schools - decent funding, trades, civics, free lunch so kids can think straight. Corporate shenanigans - stop mergers that kill choice. Kill hidden fees. Voting basics - make it easy and secure. No games. People at the pantry look tired. Neighbors worry about rent. Show up, take questions, give a straight timeline and a phone number. If you turn it into a culture-war circus, ...
Adriana Williams, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Rural, OR, USA:
Short version: I vote my wallet and my kids’ safety. Everything else is noise. Top issues that actually move my pen in the booth right now: Cost of living. Groceries, gas, power bill, car tags. I want fewer junk fees and no fancy new mileage tax ideas. Keep propane and my wood stove legal. If policy makes my cart cost more, I’m not voting for it. Wildfire and forest management. Thin the forests, do prescribed burns, keep logging practical, and hold utilities to account when they spark fires. I’m tired of summer turning into ash and road closures while everyone points fingers. Schools that teach. Reading, math, shop, welding, CNA pathways. Less ideology, more discipline and bus routes that actually run. Parents get a real say, not a polite nod. Addiction and homelessness. Fentanyl is wrecking families here. I want treatment beds tied to consequences, cleanups that stick, and support for programs that get people sober and working. Stop the open-air messes. Back the groups that actually move people off the street. Law enforcement with accountability. We need more deputies and faster response out here, and I’m done with agencies circling the wagons when something looks bad. The Renee Nicole Good shooting rattled me hard. I want body cams, clear policies, and straight answers - not PR spin. Support the good ones, fire the bad ones, full stop. Border and immigration. Secure the border and have an orderly process. Go after traffickers and the employers who exploit people. Enforce ...
Patricia Thompson, 42, Office Manager, Gresham city, OR, USA:
Short version: I am voting on what keeps my rent payable, my salon work viable, and my block safe without turning it into a police state. It is cool and bright out here today, which helps my head a little, but watching the chaos in Minneapolis - protests, Guard, DOJ circus - has me on edge. I want stability and competence, not theatrics. What matters most to me and my neighbors right now: Housing and homelessness: Build more, faster, and closer to transit. Stop the performative hand-wringing and actually open beds, treatment slots, and safe parking with bathrooms. I want cleaner sidewalks and less whack-a-mole camping, but not by just sweeping people around for a headline. Rent spikes and fees are killing folks out here in Rockwood. Public safety and drug policy: I want to ride the MAX or bike after dark without playing roulette. Go after the dealers and stolen car rings, fix lighting, fund transit security that actually shows up, and put mental health teams on the calls they are trained for. And no, I do not want peaceful protesters gassed. We can hold two truths: safety matters and rights matter. Health care costs: My marketplace plan is fine until the deductible punches me in the throat. I care about preventive care that is actually affordable, dental included, and prescription prices that do not make me ration. Cut the nonsense middlemen fees. Small business and worker sanity: Make it easier to open a legit micro studio without drowning in permits. Training grants, clea...
Christopher Valencia, 47, Unemployed Adult, San Diego, CA, USA:
I vote on what hits my bills and my people. Talk is cheap. Show me the basics, straight up. Health care: COBRA is bleeding me. I want steady coverage that is not some gimmick card or points. Dental too. If your plan sounds cute but costs me more at the counter, I am out. Cost of living: Power, water, groceries, HOA stuff. SDG&E hikes and random fees make me mad. I want clear rates and fewer gotchas. Housing: Keep corporate buyers in check, but do not crush small owners. My ADU stays rented because rules are stable. Permits should not take forever. Help elders stay put. Work and training: Warehouse heat rules, paid sick time, and real safety. I want clean paths into HVAC or facilities without 20 forms and waitlists. Respect unions. Public safety and street reality: We need bathrooms, trash pickup, and treatment beds, not just sweeps. I want cops who talk like adults and stop with pointless stops. Keep the cameras and face scans on a leash. Immigration and voting: I am a green card guy. No weird travel bans. Keep fees reasonable and timelines clear. Mail has to work so ballots and papers do not go missing. More drop boxes, not less. Gaza and foreign policy: I want a real ceasefire, real aid, and no blank checks. Talk to Muslims like humans. All these threats flying around make daily life feel shaky. De-escalate. Transit and sidewalks: Buses that show up, safer crosswalks on El Cajon, and shade at stops. Plant trees. Fix potholes, not just tweet about it. Faith and food: Halal...
Elizabeth Switzer, 40, Volunteer Caregiver, Akron city, OH, USA:
Honestly, I vote pretty simple: what will make day-to-day life less hard for me and my neighbors here in Akron, right now in this cold. The news has me on edge this week, so I’m real focused on basics, not party noise. Cost of living: groceries, rent, and these heating bills. Don’t play games with SNAP or surprise fees on utilities. Health care and disability: keep Medicaid steady, cut the prior authorization runaround, cheaper meds, and real access to mental health and pain care that treats folks with dignity. Safety close to home: working streetlights, steady police where it’s needed, less fentanyl on corners, and actual treatment options so people aren’t just cycling back. Transit and basics: buses that show up, sidewalks salted, potholes filled. It’s not fancy, it just matters. Housing: more decent, affordable places and holding landlords to basic standards so people aren’t freezing or dealing with mold. No hidden fees, simple paperwork: clear bills, no junk add-ons, and a human you can call who won’t bounce you around. I appreciate straight talk, but I’m tired of the yelling... Just be honest about costs, keep us safe, and cut the red tape, and that’s how I’ll mark my ballot.
Billy Smith, 39, Unemployed Adult, Duluth city, MN, USA:
Short version: I vote my wallet and my back. If you make our month steadier and cheaper, you’re in the mix. If you play games with food and heat, you’re out. Pretty simple. Groceries and SNAP - Stop messing with food money. Prices at Aldi are still tight. Any talk about freezing or cutting SNAP freaks me out. Don’t do it. Health care and disability - Faster SSDI decisions, fewer hoops, lower out of pocket per month. Keep our clinics in network and prescriptions affordable. I can’t stand in line for an hour. I can’t fight phone trees all day. Heat, power, and roads - It’s bitter out. Keep LIHEAP funded, fair utility rates, and the grid steady. Plow the streets, fix the potholes, keep the buses running on time. That’s not fancy. That’s survival here. Work and wages - Back good or bad, folks need steady hours and safe shops. Support small diners and local crews, not just big-box handouts. Enforce safety rules so workers don’t end up like me. Housing - No sudden rent spikes, no junk fees. Month to month is scary enough. I want boring and predictable. Public safety without drama - Peaceful people shouldn’t get gassed. Keep order, sure, but stop the showboating. I want calm streets, not press conferences. Immigration - Be humane and orderly. Go after the bad actors, not church moms standing on a sidewalk. Don’t turn neighborhoods into TV sets. Honesty and no junk fees - Clear bills, no buried charges, no sweetheart deals. If you can’t explain it in plain English, it’s probably a b...
