Election 2020: Voters are highly engaged, but nearly half expect to have difficulties voting

The coronavirus outbreak continues to cast a large shadow over the 2020 presidential election. Only about half of registered voters say it will be very or somewhat easy to vote, down from 85% in 2018. Most voters who support Donald Trump would rather vote in person, while a majority of those who support Joe Biden prefer to vote by mail. A record share of voters say it “really matters” who wins in the election, and while Biden has an advantage over Trump in voter preference, he lags in strong support.

• See all of our Election 2020 research
• Sign up for our Election 2020 newsletter

Why are COVID-19 cases rising in U.S.? Republicans point to more testing, Democrats to more infections

Republicans and Democrats point to different explanations for the recent increase in confirmed coronavirus cases. Most Republicans (62%) say the primary reason for the rise in confirmed cases is that more people are being tested. By contrast, 80% of Democrats say the primary reason is that there are more new infections, not just more tests.

• See all of our COVID-19 research

About one-in-four U.S. Hispanics have heard of Latinx, but just 3% use it

The term Latinx has emerged in recent years as a gender-neutral alternative to the terms Latino, Latina and Hispanic. However, awareness of Latinx is relatively low among the population it is meant to describe – and very few Hispanics use it to describe themselves. Overall, few Hispanics prefer “Latinx” over “Hispanic” or “Latino” as a pan-ethnic term.

• In their own words: What does Latinx mean to Hispanics?

The U.S. budget deficit is rising amid COVID-19, but public concern about it is falling

The pandemic has caused massive economic disruption, and the government's response has pushed the federal budget further out of balance than it's been in nearly eight decades. But Americans appear to be slightly less concerned about the deficit than they have been in recent years.

Americans see pressure, rather than genuine concern, as big factor in company statements about racism

U.S. adults are divided over whether it is important for companies and organizations to make public statements about political or social issues. And they are more likely to believe pressure from others – more than genuine concern for Black people – has driven companies’ recent statements about race.

Key takeaways on Americans’ views on gender equality a century after U.S. women gained the right to vote

Globally, views of foreign direct investment vary depending on type of investment

Republicans more open to in-person worship, but most oppose religious exemptions from COVID restrictions

From our research