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TO: Italian American Policy Center
FROM: John Della Volpe
DATE: 14 December 2023
RE: Public Opinion Survey of Italian American Voters

Overview

Between October 2 and 12, 2023, SocialSphere conducted a national survey of N=544 Italian American registered voters. A primary objective of this research was to explore the role that Italian American heritage and values play in both personal identity and how Italian Americans think about and participate in politics. This online survey carries a 95 percent credibility level of +/- 4.2 percentage points. The topics explored include:

  • The centrality of ethnicity and heritage in shaping one’s personal identity, political beliefs, and voting behavior;

  • Views and attributes associated with Italian American voters;

  • Perceptions related to how well institutions and individuals address Italian American values;

  • Opinions related to the 2024 election for president.

Key Findings

1. Italian Americans are highly engaged, dependable voters who are ready for 2024.

  • A plurality (41%) of Italian American voters in our survey are Republican, 30% are Democrats, and nearly as many are independent (27%).

  • 84% definitely plan to vote in 2024; 54% report being politically active

  • 51% voted for Donald Trump in 2020, 44% for Biden

  • 37% are, or lean conservative; 31% progressive, and 32% moderate

  • 51% are Catholic, 17% have no religious preference – and 27% attend religious services at least once a month

  • 52% say they regularly visit Facebook for political and current events-related information, 45% say the same about local news, 40% on YouTube, and 39% on network news. Among cable networks, Fox News (28%) is slightly more popular than CNN (25%); MSNBC (15%) trails behind.

2. In a hypothetical head-to-head matchup pitting President Biden against former President Trump, we find Trump leading by 12 percentage points with this group of voters, 46% to 34%. A critical 14% of the Italian American electorate volunteered they would vote for another candidate under this scenario, 3% would not vote – and only 4% were undecided.

  • Like the electorate overall, we find that President Biden is in a stronger position with younger Gen Z and millennial voters (-2) compared to those over 45 (-18).

3. Neither party is viewed as representing Italian Americans well. Less than one in four Italian Americans say any of the institutions and figures tested represent their community well, including when it comes to representatives of their parties.

  • Twenty percent (20%) of voters believe the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump represent Italian American values well; only 13% say the same about the Democratic party; for President Biden, the number is 12%. Less than half (40%) of Republicans believe their party addresses issues important to Italian Americans well, and only 28% of Democrats say the Democratic Party or President Biden represent Italian American issues well.

4. Italian American heritage serves as a point of great pride – and is an essential lens through which voters of Italian descent navigate personal identity and political beliefs.

  • More than three-quarters (77%) – including 71% of younger and 82% of older voters polled – are “proud to be Italian American.” There is no significant difference based on party affiliation: 77% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans are proud. Overall, 55% of the sample indicated they “strongly agree” with this statement.

  • A similarly robust 72% of voters agree that “Italian Americans have made significant contributions to American society.” A substantial majority of younger (61%) and older voters (80%) agreed, as did Democrats (77%), Republicans (74%), and independents (68%).

  • Nearly half (49%) of Italian American voters say that Italian American heritage is integral to who they are. This trait is statistically tied with religion and faith and is considered more important than one’s hometown, political party, race, and ethnicity. Voters over age 45 (56% important) emphasize this aspect of their identity more than those younger (38% important).

5. Italian Americans cite family upbringing and cultural values as the dominant elements from their background that influence how they think about politics today.

  • Family upbringing, at 39%, is considered the most critical influence in how Italian Americans think about politics. Both younger (39%) and older (38%) Italian Americans agree with this sentiment. Younger Italian Americans are solidifying their political values; those under 45 (30%) are more likely than those over 45 (21%) to cite cultural traditions and values as their second most important driver of how their heritage impacts their political values.

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