9/28: Voters’ Outlook on NYS Economy

When thinking about the New York State economy, 46% of voters currently believe New York’s economy is getting worse, 42% report it is staying about the same, and 12% report it is getting better.  When Marist last asked this question in May, 48% of voters believed the state’s economy was getting worse, 37% said it was staying about the same, and 15% reported it was getting better.

©istockphoto.com/kiamsoon

©istockphoto.com/kiamsoon

Click Here for Complete September 24, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables

Republican voters are the most pessimistic on this question.  60% of the state’s GOP think the economy is getting worse while 32% believe it is staying about the same.  9% say it is getting better.  Nearly half of Democrats are tentative about the New York State economy.  48% report the economy is steady, 38% think it is declining, and 14% say it is improving.  A plurality of non-enrolled voters — 47% — believe New York’s economy is declining.  41% think it is on a steady plain, and 12% say it is on an upswing.

Regionally, upstate voters have the most dismal outlook on the statewide economy compared with New York City and the suburbs.  A majority — 55% — think the state’s economy is declining while nearly four in ten — 39% — think it is constant.  Just 6% say it is getting better.  In Marist’s May survey, 57%, 33%, and 11%, respectively, held these views.

In the Big Apple, 46% report the economy is status quo.  38% say it is deteriorating, and 16% think it is getting better.  In May, 43% of New York City voters thought the state’s economy was remaining about the same, 36% believed it was getting worse, and 21% believed it was getting better.

Little has changed in the suburbs of New York City, 43% report the economy is staying about the same, 40% think it is getting worse, and 17% believe it is getting better.  In May, 39%, 44%, and 17%, respectively, shared these views.

Table: New York State Economy

Getting Personal: Nearly Six in Ten Believe Family Finances Steady in the Next Year

58% of voters in the state expect their personal family finances to stay the same in the next year.  This compares with 26% who report their family financial situation will get better and 16% who say it will get worse.

When Marist last asked this question in May, 54% said their family finances will get neither better nor worse, 27% thought their financial picture would improve, and 16% thought their personal finances would diminish.

Fewer voters in New York City believe their family finances will get better.  That proportion currently stands at 31% while 41% held that view in Marist’s previous survey.    However, the proportion of voters who anticipate their money matters will get worse has changed little.  Currently, 13% have this outlook while 16% did so in May.  Instead, more voters in New York City think their personal finances will stay the same.  56% believe this to be the case now while 43% thought that way in May.  In the suburbs of New York City and upstate, there has been little shift since the last time Marist asked this question.

Voters’ views in New York are consistent with those of voters nationally.  Among registered voters in the United States, 53% report their personal financial situation will remain the same, 26% think it will get better, and 21% say it will get worse.

Table: Family Finances in the Coming Year

Majority of NYS Voters Say U.S. Economy’s Worst is Behind Us

A majority of registered voters in New York State — 53% — are optimistic about the future of the country’s economy.  This is the proportion of voters who say that, when thinking about the economy of the United States, the worst is behind us.  43%, however, think the worst is yet to come.  4% are unsure.

These results are in contrast with those Marist found in its most recent national survey.  When registered voters nationwide were asked the same question, 53% reported the worst is yet to come while 43% said the worst is behind us.

Among registered Democratic voters in New York, 64% think the worst of the nation’s economic conditions are behind us while 31% say the worst is still to come.  Looking at Republican voters, 61% report they think there is more bad economic news in the future while 37% think the worst is over.  54% of non-enrolled voters statewide think the worst is behind us while 42% of these voters believe the worst is still to come.

There are regional differences.  Voters in the suburbs of New York City are more optimistic than those in New York City and upstate.  60% of voters in the suburbs report the worst is over while 53% of those in New York City and half of upstate voters share this view.

Table: U.S. Economy – Will It Get Worse?

Marist Poll Methodology