Results from the 24th annual Arkansas Poll show that voters in the state are most concerned about the economy, politics, and drugs. This marks a change from the previous year, when healthcare was the third most important issue. Concerns about the economy have significantly increased from the previous two years, with 39% of respondents citing it as a concern in 2022, compared to 22% in 2021. Meanwhile, concern about politics and politicians nearly doubled, with 19% of respondents citing it as a concern in 2022, compared to 10% in 2021.
The poll also addressed approval ratings for public figures, positions on current issues such as gun control and climate change, and questions related to abortion. In terms of abortion, the poll found that while a majority of respondents believe that it should be legal in certain circumstances, there was a split on whether laws should be enacted to make it more or less difficult for a woman to obtain an abortion.
In addition to the data on concerns and positions, the poll also found that there was a 5-point increase in the number of respondents who felt that Arkansas was going in the wrong direction, and a 19-point increase in the number of people who felt they were doing worse financially compared to the previous year.
Director of the Arkansas Poll and professor of political science at the University of Arkansas, Janine Parry, commented on the results, saying, “Economic and political uncertainty are crowding out other concerns this year. While that’s somewhat in keeping with reality, those big jumps highlight how national events distort local perceptions. Here in Arkansas—which is what the question asks about—most signs point to economic growth and political stability. But in our hyper-nationalized environment, that gets overlooked.”
The poll was conducted through 801 telephone interviews with randomly selected adult Arkansans between Oct. 13 and Oct. 31. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.
The full 2022 Arkansas Poll Summary Report, protocols and historic outcomes can be found at the Arkansas Poll web page.