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Tax reform a big factor for mid-term election voters

November 4, 2014

Elections-Vote-ButtonMost of us won't vote on tax-related ballot initiatives today, but taxes still will guide our choices, according to a recent poll.

Public Opinion Strategies' (POS) national pre-election survey found that tax reform is a major concern for most voters.

Overall, the Alexandria, Virginia-based political and public affairs research firm found that economic issues will be a deciding factor in how people vote today.

Nearly all voters (96 percent) say economic issues are important to their vote. Almost three-quarters (74 percent) classify economic issues as "extremely" or "very important" in determining how they will cast their ballots.

That sentiment was expressed by a solid majority of Democratic, Republican and Independent respondents.

Narrowing the economic issue down a bit, taxes also are getting a lot of voter attention.

POS pollsters asked the 800 likely voters it talked to via telephone between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 to rank seven different options Congress could consider to help create jobs and improve the economy.

Simplifying the tax code won. More understandable, accessible tax laws were supported by more than eight out of 10 voters, with 62 percent strongly favoring a tax law revamp.

Tax reform a top voter concern in POS Pre-Election 2014 Poll

Cutting federal spending came in second with 74 percent overall approval.

Do these findings mesh with your Election Day and federal legislative concerns?

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
  • Interesting results, thanks. I’m surprised the idea of a FairTax system isn’t gaining traction with these types of results coming in from the electorate.

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