Most Americans Report Anxiety, Frustration About 2024 Presidential Race as

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The vast majority of Americans are following the 2024 presidential campaign closely, but they also find the race nerve-wracking.

A new poll shows that the vast majority of Americans are following the 2024 presidential campaign closely as it heats up in its final days, but they also find the race for the White House anxiety-provoking and nerve-wracking.

The AP/NORC poll, released on Oct. 31, captures the complex emotional landscape surrounding the presidential contest, which pits Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump. A significant portion of American adults—75 percent—reported being interested in the race, in which the two candidates are running neck-and-neck.

With just five days to go until Election Day, a RealClearPolitics poll average shows Trump with a slight 0.5-point lead. At the same point in the presidential race in 2016, Trump was trailing Democratic nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 1.3 points before going on to win.

Interest in the 2024 presidential race is high across the political spectrum. High levels of engagement were reported by both Democrats (80 percent) and Republicans (77 percent), per the AP/NORC poll. While interest was lower among Independents (54 percent), the fact that a majority of voters without party affiliation reported being tuned into the presidential campaign suggests that even traditionally less engaged groups view this election as significant. Americans’ level of interest was lower in the two prior presidential election cycles.

While engagement is high in the 2024 presidential race, so is a sense of unease. The poll reveals that 69 percent of Americans feel frustrated by the campaign, possibly reflecting a sentiment of dissatisfaction with the political climate and/or campaign strategies. High levels of frustration were reported by affiliates of both major parties, with 72 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans describing their experience of the campaign as frustrating. Independents share this frustration, mirroring the levels seen among partisans.

Anxiety is also widespread, with 69 percent of respondents describing it as a feeling that reflects their view of the 2024 presidential campaign. Democrats appear to be feeling more anxious, with 79 percent expressing this sentiment, compared to 66 percent of Republicans. Independents seem to be feeling considerably less anxious about the race than either of the major political camps, with only 49 percent identifying anxiety as part of their election experience.

Excitement, by contrast, is low. Barely 36 percent of respondents report feeling excited about the campaign, a decrease from previous election cycles. Among Democrats, 37 percent say they are excited, while 41 percent of Republicans share that sentiment. Election enthusiasm was lower among Independents, with just 24 percent describing the campaign as exciting.

The relative absence of excitement—paired with high levels of anxiety, frustration, and interest—suggests that Americans are worried about the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest and what may follow after all ballots have been cast.

A separate AP/NORC poll found that the vast majority of registered voters (76 percent) were at least somewhat concerned about a possible outbreak of violence after Election Day.

So far, nearly 63 million Americans have cast an early vote, according to data released by the University of Florida Election Lab, including nearly 30 million mail-in ballots.