Polling is nothing new in the sphere of politics and policy. Groups and politicians conduct polls all the time, giving us a glimpse into voters’ perspectives on elections and pressing issues. Both Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation and the organization I run, the Beacon Center in Tennessee, have made quality polling a central part of our work. ITRF has been polling Iowans for five years, and the Beacon Center launched its quarterly poll in 2023.
Beacon and ITRF both ask voters how they’ll vote in upcoming elections; we also delve into the issues to better understand what voters’ challenges are and how they view key issues facing our states. Understanding where voters stand is an important part of the policymaking process.
Too many traditional political polls ask about the important but clichéd topics like guns and abortion, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that these hot-button issues are the only things on voters’ minds. But perhaps voters care more about paying their rent, affording healthcare, and getting their child a quality education. It was the result of polling our fellow Tennesseans, for example, that Beacon discovered how important rising housing costs were to them, which led us to make property tax reform one of our top priorities. When we listen to what our fellow citizens are saying, we can better prioritize tackling the issues that matter most in their daily lives.
And because ITRF and Beacon have a track record of polling voters over long periods, we can show how viewpoints evolve rather than simply capturing voter attitudes at a single snapshot in time. As a result, our polls have become important assets to state leaders and policymakers. They can hear directly from their constituents about what really matters, rather than what they think matters. And they can be more certain that they are prioritizing the right issues and getting the results that voters expect of their leaders.
Speaking of polling, ITRF’s latest poll just came out, and it included two questions about a key constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot. How do voters feel about the amendment? See for yourself.
Justin Owen is president & CEO of the Beacon Center of Tennessee, the state’s oldest and most influential think tank. He is also a contributing scholar for the ITR Foundation.
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