Marquette poll finds broad concern over inflation, and opposition to data centers and rapid AI development
According to a new Marquette University Law School Poll, 57% of Wisconsin voters favor deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally, a decrease from 64% in February.
Support drops to 39% when voters are asked about deporting immigrants “even if they have lived here for a number of years, have jobs, and no criminal record,” while 60% are opposed.
Seventy-seven percent of registered voters are very or somewhat confident that votes in November’s election will be accurately cast and counted, while 23% are not confident. This is largely unchanged from before the 2022 midterm election.
Majorities in each party expressed confidence: 66% of Republicans, 73% of independents, and 91% of Democrats.
Forty-three percent of voters believe election officials sometimes or often submit false vote counts, while 57% say this rarely or never happens. Among Republicans, 68% say false vote counts occur sometimes or often.
Seventy-nine percent of voters trust Wisconsin state and local officials more than the federal government to ensure fair and accurate elections, while 20% trust the federal government more. Among Republicans, 61% trust state and local officials more; among independents, 80%; and among Democrats, 99%. Most Wisconsinites continue to view data centers as creating more costs than benefits, a view that has changed little since February. Thirty percent say the benefits outweigh the costs, while 69% believe the costs outweigh the benefits. By party, 62% of Republicans, 69% of independents, and 77% of Democrats say costs outweigh benefits.
Sixty-nine percent believe artificial intelligence is being developed too quickly, while 29% say it is progressing at the right pace and 2% say it is moving too slowly. In February, 73% said AI was moving too quickly.
Fifty-eight percent of registered voters are more concerned about property taxes than funding for K-12 public schools, while 41% are more concerned about school funding. These figures are nearly unchanged from February.
Opinion is evenly divided on Gov. Tony Evers’ 2024 partial veto requiring increases in school spending limits for the next 400 years: 48% say it was necessary to support public schools, while 52% believe it will require annual tax increases.
Forty-seven percent prefer a one-time payment to taxpayers to offset property taxes, while 52% favor increasing ongoing state aid to schools to reduce the need for property tax increases.
Fifty-nine percent are very or somewhat satisfied with their local public schools, while 40% are somewhat or very dissatisfied.
Thirty-nine percent say a governor’s partial veto power is appropriate, while 61% believe it gives governors too much authority. A constitutional amendment on this issue will appear on the statewide ballot in November.
Seventy-five percent of Wisconsin voters are very concerned about inflation and the cost of living. Sixty-three percent are very concerned about health insurance, and 60% are very concerned about jobs and the economy.
When asked to name the single most important issue, 35% chose inflation, 14% cited illegal immigration and border security, and 11% selected health insurance.
The Marquette University Law School Poll released these findings Tuesday on X.
