Eye care professionals aren’t staying on the sidelines this election season. According to a recent WO poll, 99% of respondents said they will participate in the Nov. 5 elections, with 88% planning to vote and 11% having already cast their ballots. Voting habits seem well established, with 85% saying they “almost always” vote in national, state or local elections, and another 11% voting “more often than not.”
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOV 5
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS AND CONCERNS
Respondents expressed varied party affiliations. About 46% identified as Democrat, while 23% aligned with the Republican party. However, not all respondents identify with specific political groups—17% said they do not belong to any party, and 11% chose not to specify.
Many shared their motivation to vote, emphasizing the value of participation. One respondent said, “Don’t complain about the party in power if you don’t vote!” Others reflected on deeper reasons behind their involvement, saying, “I am proud to be an American where I have the freedom to vote, thanks to the soldiers who have made that freedom possible.” Another framed it in optometric terms: “I also identify as an ‘opticrat,’ voting for the folks who are optometry-friendly.”
But concerns about the future linger. “It has been a tough year. I am very concerned about what is to come,” one respondent shared.
VOTERS SHARE PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
Several respondents offered meaningful insights on the historical significance of voting. One female respondent underscored the sacrifices made for suffrage, stating, “Blood was shed, lives were ended and people were persecuted for my suffrage as a black woman.”
Another voter reflected on their family’s history with the Voting Rights Act of 1965: “When I was born in March 1965, my mother had never been allowed to vote in Missouri because of disenfranchisement via Jim Crow laws. When she received the right to vote through the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which became effective in 1966, she voted and taught me and my nine siblings about the importance of voting. I vote in every election that’s available because all elected officials need to be voted in because someone thought they were the best candidate for the job, and not win by default because of voter apathy or suppression.”
WHO’S VOTING?
The poll reveals that a significant portion of respondents (39%) are between the ages of 51 and 60. Other age groups included:
- Ages 31-40: 20%
- Ages 41-50: 18%
- Ages 61-70: 15%
- Under 30: 5%
- Over 70: 3%
A majority (68%) of respondents identified as female ODs. Non-OD male and female respondents together accounted for 20%, while 11% of respondents identified as male ODs.
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Read other WO Pop-up Poll results here.
Featured photo credit: Getty Images, Patricia Marroquin
