Voters Prioritize Safety and Economic Relief as Election Takes Shape

As economic anxiety and public safety concerns rise heading into the 2026 election cycle, the implications extend well beyond politics. New data from Resonate’s “First 2026 Election Cycle Outlook” shows that voters’ top priorities … affordability, personal security, and economic stability … are reshaping how trust is formed at the community level. For local media, advertisers, and political campaigns, this shift is critical: audiences are gravitating toward messaging that feels grounded, local, and actionable rather than abstract or national in tone. In a conversation with Resonate Senior Vice President of Political and Advocacy Partnerships Bob Brennan, the data reveals how shifting voter sentiment is redefining effective local messaging, media strategy, and community engagement as 2026 approaches.

That anxiety is being fueled by global instability and domestic unrest, which continues to shape voter priorities at home.

For local advertisers and media owners, this shows up in Resonate’s latest voter sentiment report, “First 2026 Election Cycle Outlook,” U.S. voters are most concerned about the economy and their personal spending power. That said, the survey said the majority of voters rated the economy as “fair,” and about a fifth of them are delaying car purchases. Nearly two-fifths are cutting back on dining out.

Bob Brennan, sat down with us to take a deeper dive into the data and what it means for this year’s elections.

Voter concern about mass shootings and social unrest surged sharply in late 2025. How does this anxiety influence trust in institutions, local media, and community advertising? 

The surge in concern about mass shootings and social unrest has real consequences for how voters view institutions, news sources, and community messaging. When anxiety around public safety spikes, trust tends to shift toward sources that are grounded in local reality. National institutions may seem distant or slow to respond, whereas local media and local leaders are often seen as more credible and attuned to community needs. This shift also shapes the environment in which advertisers and campaigns communicate, with messages emphasizing safety, calm, competence, and tangible action resonating more strongly.

How can campaigns tap into issue-based motivators such as healthcare costs, immigration, or gun violence to build localized narratives that drive turnout?

Local campaigns can use issue-based motivators such as healthcare costs, immigration, and gun violence to build narratives grounded in the realities and top concerns of their communities. Voters consistently rank these issues among their top concerns, and how these challenges manifest locally is what moves them to take action like turn up to vote or lend support to a campaign. For example, healthcare-focused campaign messaging that discusses local provider access feels more immediate than state-wide health insurance premium spikes.

Immigration conversations that emphasize community safety, local taxpayer economic contributions, or local workforce needs make the issue more relatable. Gun-violence messaging resonates most when it focuses on local school safety initiatives, community programs, or collaborations with local law enforcement. By connecting large-scale policy issues to tangible community-level actions and impacts, campaigns can more effectively motivate turnout.

How do affordability and debt concerns translate into voter sentiment and consumer behavior at the local level? 

Messaging for local campaigns and advertisers should acknowledge the financial strain consumers are experiencing as it shows up in everyday decisions and trade-offs. When we see that 34% are saving less than they were six months ago, even though they would like to save more, that frustration becomes a powerful motivator for political campaigns to address. Local government agencies should emphasize value, payment flexibility, and community support at times like these rather than broad messaging that feels disconnected from voters’ day-to-day experiences.

Nearly half of voters say their finances won’t change in the next six months. How might this sense of economic stagnation shape community-level political messaging and spending habits?

Voters aren’t looking for revolutionary, world-changing promises they’ve heard before. They want credible, incremental improvements that they feel will positively impact their community during uncertain economic times. Our data shows that 23% expect to be worse off financially in the next six months, a 32% increase over the previous period. This increasing pessimism means local messaging must be grounded in immediate, tangible benefits rather than long-term aspirational rhetoric.

How can local marketers leverage Resonate’s rAI data engine to understand shifting sentiment? 

Resonate rAI provides marketers with real-time predictive data by continuously analyzing behavioral signals, voter sentiment shifts, and trends as they emerge. Instead of relying on static data that may be months old, rAI surfaces up-to-date indicators of voter sentiment and predicts which of those concerns are most likely to shape behavior next, whether it’s affordability, safety, immigration, or public services, and how those concerns are changing and will impact behavior. Marketers can adjust messaging, creative direction, and media placement quickly based on what their communities are expressing and how they are likely to react in the moment.

What messaging resonates most with households navigating economic pressure in smaller markets?

In smaller markets where community ties are stronger, voters can easily spot inauthentic economic messaging. Households dealing with rising grocery and utility costs respond to messages that validate their lived experience and offer concrete relief. Rather than focusing on broad messaging about what needs to be done, voters seek messaging that provides tangible impact.

What lessons from the 2024 and 2025 elections should local candidates and marketers carry into the 2026 cycle to connect authentically with disillusioned or debt-burdened voters? 

The past two elections offer clear lessons for marketers in 2026: voters are navigating economic strain, institutional distrust, and growing concerns about safety. They want leaders who take these challenges seriously at a local level. Candidates who personalize messaging around constituents’ lived experience, recognize voters’ frustrations, and predict impact are more likely to connect with the voters they’re seeking to reach.