Press Releases

NEW POLL SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR NEW YORK’S SMALL-DONOR MATCHING PROGRAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FEBRUARY 27, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Monica Garcia, [email protected]

Nine in 10 New York voters believe wealthy donors have an outsized influence on politicians

Majority believes that their representatives should enroll in new public financing system

NEW YORK — A new poll by Data for Progress and Stand Up America found that 9 out of 10 New York voters believe that wealthy political donors have a greater influence on politicians than average voters. Sixty-one percent support New York’s recently launched small-donor matching program, which allows candidates for state legislative and statewide offices to access public matching funds based on the small-dollar donations they raise. 

The statewide survey of 1,105 likely voters was conducted February 14-20 and has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.

“New Yorkers across the political spectrum are alarmed by the pernicious influence of money in politics. They believe elected leaders must take steps to level the playing field between big donors and everyday citizens by participating in, and fully funding, the new statewide small-donor matching program,” said Christina Harvey, Executive Director for Stand Up America. “As the Senate and Assembly deliberate on appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, they should consider the potential of this program to empower their constituents and strengthen public confidence in our state leaders.”

Additional insights from the poll include: 

  • Nearly 8 out of 10 voters reported that they are very or somewhat concerned about the influence of wealthy donors in New York politics.
  • Seven out of 10 believe elected officials should prioritize countering the influence of wealthy donors.  
  • An overwhelming majority of voters (84%) believe the influence of wealthy donors harms representative democracy. 
  • Even after hearing arguments for and against the small-donor matching program, 60% continued to support it. 
  • More than half of voters, including 67% of Democrats, think their state representatives should enroll in the small-donor matching program.
  • Sixty-two percent of voters believe state leaders should provide sufficient funding for the program in New York’s budget. 

Results of the poll, including crosstabs, are available HERE.

To speak with a Stand Up America spokesperson, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

Website: StandUpAmerica.com
Twitter: @StandUpAmerica
Instagram: @StandUp_America
Facebook: @StandUpAmerica