shows that voters are more likely to support a candidate who makes fighting
hunger and poverty a priority.
Since the Alliance started polling voters on this issue, we know that voters believe that:
•
•
•
•
Hunger is a complex issue that needs multifaceted solutions.
Government efforts to end hunger have been inadequate.
More taxpayer dollars should go to effective hunger programs.
U.S. residents have a moral duty to address hunger abroad, and to do
so is in the national interests of the United States.
This research is consistent with other independent polls, like the one
conducted by Hart Research Associates in early 2012. Hart, one of the leading survey research firms in the country, polled voters on food stamps and
hunger in America. The results:
• No matter what their political affiliation,
The issue of
more than four in five voters said hunger
is a serious problem in this country today.
hunger is a
Eight out of ten American voters thought
personal one
that low-income families and children not
for voters.
being able to afford enough food to eat is a
serious problem.
• Voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea of cutting spending on
hunger. Only one voter out of eight thought that the government is
spending too much money to solve hunger; 78 percent said it should
be spending more money in solving the problem of hunger.
• The issue of hunger is a personal one for voters. More than one in
five voters polled said that they are worried about putting enough
food on the table.
• Voters are more likely to vote for candidates who make reducing
hunger a top priority. Nearly 50 percent polled said that they would
not support candidates who want to cut SNAP funding, compared to
9 percent who would support them.
Understanding the American voters’ perceptions will help you to be
more effective in participating in electoral activities.
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