CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten noted Tuesday that the percentage of undecided voters is historically low compared to past elections.
Enten explained that the 2024 election has the lowest level of undecided voters in the 21st century, with 4% of voters considering themselves “undecided” as of Tuesday. By comparison, 10% of voters were undecided in 2020, with 8% falling into that category.
“Four percent of voters say they're undecided, which is half the percentage in 2020 and much lower than the 10% at this point in 2016,” Enten said. “So Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are focusing on this tiny fraction. It's much lower than we're used to and, in fact, the lowest level of undecideds we've ever seen in a poll.” [at] This point [in] Throughout the 21st century.”
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The majority of undecided voters, 30%, ranked the economy and inflation as their top issue, while 28% said no issue was a top priority. Enten said the high percentage of voters with no top issue will make it difficult for Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican nominee Donald Trump to appeal to them. (Related: CNN's Harry Enten reveals which demographics are driving Kamala Harris' rise)
“[The undecideds] “You might care more about the characteristics of the candidate than the issues they represent,” Enten continued, “but I think there's a large portion of the undecided, people among the undecided who say they don't have a top priority. So that makes it hard for campaigns to go after them, because what are you going to say to people who say, 'Wait a second, I don't have a top priority?'”
Etten said about three-quarters of Trump supporters, or 72%, consider the 2024 election to be the “most important election” of their lifetimes, a sentiment echoed by 70% of Harris supporters. About a quarter of undecided people, or 24%, consider this election the most important.
“So, they think there's not that much at stake here, so I think they're taking a step back and saying, 'You know what? I don't particularly like either candidate and I don't think this is the most important election, so I'm going to remain undecided.' Of course, just 4% of them are going to make a world of difference in November,” Enten said.
Enten said Thursday that support for Harris among younger voters is historically low compared to past Democratic candidates. The vice president holds a 15-point lead among 18-29 year olds, but that's backed away from the 28-point lead President Joe Biden held in 2020.
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