Cloth facemask in front of a mail-in ballot.

NEW STUDY: Parents Angry About Voting Disinformation from Trump, Determined to Vote Anyway

ParentsTogether Surveyed A Thousand Parents Before Election Day: 87% of respondents aware of Trump’s Attacks on Mail-In Ballots, 91% Equally or More Likely to Vote by Mail Anyway


October 21, 2020 – This morning, ParentsTogether Action, a national nonprofit organization made up of more than 2 million parents, released the results of a new survey which finds that the majority of parents are seeing voting disinformation, but are not letting it affect their voting plans. 

Specifically, ParentsTogether found that 87% of respondents were aware of President Trump’s attacks on the integrity of mail-in voting, and 63% said they were angry about it. Almost 80% of respondents said they had seen disinformation undermining trust in the election process on various platforms, primarily on Facebook. Despite seeing these attacks from Trump and elsewhere, less than 9% of respondents said they were less likely to vote by mail because of it.

Toplines from the survey:

  • 87% of respondents said they were aware of President Trump’s debunked statements casting doubt on the integrity of mail-in voting
Are you aware of President Trump’s debunked statements casting doubt on the integrity of mail-in voting?
Yes
87.01%737;
No
12.99%110
  • 63% of respondents feel angry that Trump is attacking mail-in ballots when experts say they are secure
  • 80% of respondents said they have seen disinformation attempting to undermine the trust in our election process
    • More than half of respondents said they saw disinformation on Facebook
    • 38% of respondents said they saw voting disinformation on Fox News
Have you seen disinformation attempting to undermine the trust in our election process?
Yes
79.64%665;
No
20.36%170

That being said…

  • 91% of respondents said they were either equally or more likely to vote by mail as a result of Trump’s comments criticizing mail-in voting
Have President Trump’s statements criticizing mail-in voting changed how you plan to vote?
I am more likely to vote by mail because of his comments
8.99%75;
I am less likely to vote by mail because of his comments 
8.75%73;
My plan hasn’t changed as a result of his comments
82.25%686
  • 38% of respondents were planning to vote by mail this year, as opposed to 15% in 2016, citing Covid, childcare issues, and convenience as the main factors affecting their decision

“The attacks on mail-in voting leveled by President Trump and other media outlets are attacks on the parents who are relying on mail-in ballots — those who have been struggling throughout this crisis to care for children, working to pay rent and get food on the table for their families, while avoiding getting sick,” said ParentsTogether co-founder Justin Ruben. “Parents are not deterred. Despite the disinformation campaigns, they are voting in droves. The message is clear — parents and families are ready for leaders who they believe represent them and who respond to the challenges they are facing.” 

In addition to the data on disinformation, the survey also found that parents across the country are mobilized to vote at seemingly record levels in response to Covid-19 and the economic crises borne in its wake. Not only are parents eager and excited to vote, parents are also engaging with their kids about voting in high numbers. This past weekend, ParentsTogether organized a national day of action called #ChalkTheVote, where more than 10,000 families across the country chalked inspirational and helpful voting messages on sidewalks in their neighborhoods and communities. 

You can find photos from the #ChalkTheVote event here.

For the complete survey results, please see here