Poll: Most Tennesseans support vote by mail
NASHVILLE – As the state appeals a judge’s ruling that would allow any registered voter to cast a ballot by mail this year, a Vanderbilt University poll shows that the majority of Tennesseans support expanded absentee ballot access.
The poll, released Tuesday, found that 57% of Tennesseans strongly or somewhat supported voting by mail in response to how to most safely facilitate the November election.
In addition, 85% of respondents supported increasing the length of early voting.
The poll received responses from 1,000 registered voters in Tennessee and was conducted May 5-22. Its margin of error is 3.8 percentage points.
Both Democrats and Republicans agreed the election should be held on time and that there should be additional time for early voting.
“This finding underscores that not all issues spark a partisan response,” said poll diretor John Geer. “Tennesseans, collectively, have an underlying commitment to democracy.”
Just 29% of Republicans supported voting by mail, however, while 81% of Democrats approved of the measure.
Poll finds partisan divide on coronavirus response
The poll did find a significant partisan divide when it comes to how Tennesseans view the coronavirus pandemic.
On who was concerned about contracting coronavirus, 82% of Democrats were worried about becoming infected, compared to only 37% of Republicans.
Regarding lifting the stay-at-home order, which Gov. Bill Lee allowed to expire April 30, 79% of Republicans approved doing so, while 78% of Democrats disagreed.
There was also a large disparity in sentiment depending on race. The poll found that 76% of people of color said they were concerned about them or their families being infected, though only 55% of white respondents answered the same way. Among women, 66% were worried about the virus, while 52% of men were.
Overall, 60% of Tennesseans say they are very or somewhat worried that they or a loved one will catch the virus, and 67% reported being worried about a resurgence of the illness as physical distancing guidelines are eased.
Gov. Lee holds popularity throughout coronavirus pandemic
Around the state, 65% of Tennesseans said they were satisfied with Lee’s response to the pandemic, 75% reported being satisfied with their local leaders’ response and 53% with President Donald Trump’s response.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the nation’s top infectious disease experts and a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, received a 65% approval rating in Tennessee, Vanderbilt said, which is consistent with nationwide support he’s received in recent months.
Approval ratings of state and federal leaders have remained consistent in Tennessee.
Lee’s popularity holds at 64% and Trump’s at 51%, around the same level it has remained since he was elected. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, meanwhile, has a 47% approval rating, and outgoing U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s is at 50%. Both are Republicans.
“These approval numbers are very much in line with earlier polls, and reflect stable support among Tennessee voters,” Geer said. “And Sen. Alexander finishes a long and distinguished career with a slight uptick in support and a continued demonstration of bipartisan support, which reflects Tennessee’s history of pragmatic politics.”
Tennessee’s support of Trump in the 2020 presidential election is on par with his favorability rating in the state.
If the presidential election were held now, 51% of voters in Tennessee would cast ballots for Trump and 42% for former Vice President Joe Biden.