Memo: When Candidates Lead with a “Serious About Safety” Message, it Outperforms Tough on Crime—Especially for Black Voters and Young Voters

TO: Vera Action

FROM: HIT Strategies – Roshni Nedungadi, Ashley Aylward, & Carla Hardy, Pollsters

Following an election cycle in Virginia where the issues of crime and abortion dominated the talking points of political candidates, polling among registered voters in Virginia elucidated the effect of this discussion on voting behavior. Democrats outspent Republicans on ads by $7.6 million ($35.2 million versus $27.6 million, respectively). 1 While Democrats focused their ads on the topic of abortion, Republicans spent heavily in an attempt to make this election about crime and policing. This polling identifies future opportunities to motivate those who are not currently participating in elections to turn out to vote by addressing concerns around crime and public safety.

Memo: When Candidates Lead with a “Serious About Safety” Message, it Outperforms Tough on Crime—Especially for Black Voters and Young Voters