Checking Richmond’s Pulse on Election Day

By Jeff Raines
Capital News Service

RICHMOND -- Health care and gun control were the two biggest issues among primarily Democratic voters on the bus this morning.

That’s what Capital News Service reporters found today when they hopped on the Greater Richmond Transit Company’s Pulse line to administer an informal poll of Richmond’s voters.
Data was collected from a sample of 49 respondents by asking bus riders to fill out a seven-question survey on the election. The survey was distributed on multiple buses and at stations travelling along Broad Street from Rocketts Landing to Willow Lawn.

Of respondents, 84% said they were aware there was an election today, 22 individuals said they were voting in today’s election and 17 of those voters were using public transport to get to the polls.

Thirty-four of the 49 participants identified as Democrats, while 12 identified as Independent. None were Republicans. Three respondents declined to provide their party affiliation.
The issues that mattered most for respondents were, in order of importance:

• Health care
• Gun control
• Civil rights, including racial and LGBTQ equity
• Reproductive rights
• Education
• Economy and taxes
• Environmental issues
• Immigration

Health care was mentioned nearly twice as much as any other issue. Issues with two or fewer mentions and illegible responses were excluded from this list.
Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 70 and included students and professionals in industries such as food and beverage, health care, construction and law.

Emma North contributed to this report.