Virginians Across Gender, Race, and Party Lines Support Increased Access to Child Care
And candidates who support such policies are more likely to be seen favorably by voters, new poll finds.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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There is very broad bipartisan support for policies that increase access to child care, according to a new survey of Virginians who plan to vote in the November gubernatorial election.
In addition, the survey—conducted by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation with research firms Global Strategy Group and GS Strategy Group—found that candidates who advocate for affordable child care are more likely to be seen by voters as embodying the traits that are most important to them in a governor.
The survey polled 600 likely voters by phone and text between February 11 and February 16, 2025.
It found that nearly nine in 10 voters support policies that increase access to affordable, quality child care programs—and that more than half (54%) “strongly support” such policies.
There is majority (88%) support for such policies among swing voters, as well as across partisan lines. Ninety-seven percent of Democrats, 83% of Independents, and 81% of Republicans said they support increased access to child care.
There is also majority support for this issue across genders, ethnicities, education levels, and geographic regions. Ninety-two percent of women and 85% of men; 98% of Black and 87% of white voters; and 91% of non-college educated and 86% of college-educated voters support making child care more available—and the vast majority of voters in Northern Virginia, Norfolk, and the Roanoke area support this issue.
Half of the respondents were shown a hypothetical candidate for Governor whose platform included child care policies and the other half were shown the same platform without specific mention of child care policies.
The survey results found that “voters were more likely to see the candidate as honest and trustworthy, putting the people of Virginia before party, having the right priorities, and a host of other positive characteristics when child care was central to the candidate’s introduction,” according to a press release.
And voters were 30% more likely to vote for the candidate with stated support for child care policies, the survey found.
“Voters consistently demonstrate that child care policies resonate strongly with them, regardless of age, gender, or demographic,” said Angie Kuefler of Global Strategy Group in the press release.
Robert Jones with GS Strategy Group said the research “underscores that making child care a top priority is essential for candidates seeking to build meaningful connections with voters and earn their trust this election season.”
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