Phoenix Voters Support Clean Energy Investments
By Danielle Deiseroth and Marcela Mulholland
Earlier this month Data for Progress and Lead Locally released a Green New Deal Slate of local candidates running for office on ambitious climate platforms. It was a no-brainer to include Yassamin Ansari, who is running to lead the Phoenix City Council. Yassamin worked for the UN Secretary General on climate policy and is running to help enact climate policy for Phoenix, the fifth-fastest growing city in the country. Key pieces of her climate platform include efforts to decarbonize the city’s transit system and investments in frontline communities.
As part of a recent survey of likely voters in Maricopa County, Data for Progress asked voters in the Phoenix area several questions about investments in clean energy and front line communities.
We first asked voters whether they think the Phoenix government should invest in transitioning the city’s bus fleet to 100% electric vehicles and expanding access to public transportation. An overwhelming majority of voters (60 percent) agree the city government should decarbonize its bus fleet and invest in public transit. Support for this proposal is bipartisan, as a majority of voters who self-identify as Democrats (73 percent), independents (54 percent), and Republicans (52 percent) all agree with investments to transition the bus fleet and expand access to public transit.
We also asked voters whether they think the Phoenix government should invest in improving air and water quality, increasing access to fresh and healthy foods, and creating new jobs in clean energy for low-income communities. A majority of voters (54 percent) support this proposal. Support is again bipartisan, as a majority of Democrats (68 percent) and a plurality of independents (48 percent) and Republicans (45 percent) agree the Phoenix government should invest in these communities that are on the front lines of climate change and disproportionately affected by pollution.
Much has been made of Joe Biden’s climate plan, but a far under-reported measure of the climate movement’s success is in local candidates like Yaasmin bringing the message of the Green New Deal to local communities across the country. Our findings clearly show the popularity of running on an ambitious climate platform in local elections and nationally. For candidates up and down the ballot, running on climate might be what pushes them to victory come November.
Danielle Deiseroth (@danielledeis) is the Climate Data Analyst for Data for Progress
Marcela Mulholland (@x3Marcela_) is Deputy Director for Climate for Data for Progress
Survey Methodology
From October 2 to October 8, 2020, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 386 likely voters in Maricopa County using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is +/- 5 percentage points