Unite NY’s Voter Empowerment Index

Want to learn what we found in our final poll of 2023?

November 30, 2023 – What did we find out in VEI 2.4?

• 56% of New Yorkers think the State in on the wrong track.
• Nearly 4 out of 10 considering leaving the State.
• 80% support term limits for Governor and Statewide offices.
• More than 40% think the State has fallen behind others in election reform.
• Nearly 3/4 want Citizen Ballot Initiatives.

Check out the full presentation here.

October 22, 2023 – What did we find in VEI 2.3?

• 57% of New Yorkers think politics in the State are headed in the wrong direction (up 7% since March)
• Only 10% think the state is ahead of the curve when it comes to election reform
• 33% approval rating for Governor Hochul (29% for Legislature)
• 79% want term limits for Governor, 75% for Legislature
• Nearly 3/4 want citizen ballot initiatives
• 39% considering moving out of state
• A mere 1/3 support the new 45,000 threshold for ballot access

Check out the full presentation here.

Press release here.

August 22, 2023 – What did we find in VEI 2.2?

• 53% of New Yorkers think politics in the State are headed in the wrong direction (up 3% from March)
• 80% want term limits for Governor and Legislature
• 40% have an unfavorable view of Governor Hochul
• Nearly 3/4 of New Yorkers want citizen initiatives
• 40% considering moving – including more than 70% of Bronx residents!

For more detailed info, check out our presentation.

April 18, 2023 – What did we find in VEI 2.1?

• Half of New Yorkers think politics in the State are headed in the wrong direction.
• Only 9% think the State is ahead of the curve in terms of election reform
• 51% are considering leaving NYS because of the state of our politics
• More than 3/4 want term limits for Governor and Legislature
• More than 2/3 want citizen initiatives and open primaries
• Nearly half want Ranked Choice Voting Statewide

For a more detailed look at the results:

• Press Release
• Slide Deck Presentation of Findings (email required to access)
• Toplines
• Crosstabs (email required to access)

One way to drive change is to show policy makers clear numbers on how voters feel. That’s why in 2022, Unite NY launched the Voter Empowerment Index (VEI) to provide independent polling to track voter sentiment on various reforms. That project resulted in significant media coverage and established UNY and the VEI as a go-to resource for input on independent voters and the electorate’s views on reform. This data helps voters, our members, the media, and policy makers understand just how deep the support is for many major issues of reform.