CAIR Survey Indicates High Turnout of Muslim Voters, 71 Percent Support for Joe Biden

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released the results of a nationwide survey of Muslim voters on the upcoming presidential election indicating 89 percent of registered Muslim voters intend to vote in the November 3rd General Election – and that 71 percent of Muslim voters say they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden as President of the United States.  

Eighteen percent say they would vote to re-elect President Donald Trump. 

[NOTE: The independent live telephone survey of 846 Muslim voters was conducted the night after the first presidential debate (September 30). CAIR's survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.] 

VIDEO: Watch CAIR's News Conference to Release Poll Results 
https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/videos/381730346327184 
READ CAIR's Post Presidential Debate Survey of Muslim Voters 
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CAIRMuslimVoterPoll.pdf 

Highlights of CAIR's survey results, announced at a news conference this morning, include: 

• Eighty-nine percent of registered Muslim voters intend to vote in the 2020 Presidential General Election, while only five percent are still undecided if they will vote. 
• The percentage of registered Muslim voters who most closely identify with the Democratic Party decreased from CAIR's previous poll in 2018, from 78 percent to 66 percent. Conversely, Muslim support for the Republican Party increased to 19 percent compared to 17 percent in a similar CAIR poll from 2018. 
• Seventy-one percent of registered Muslim voters said they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden, while 18 percent said they would vote for Donald Trump. 
• Fifty-nine percent of Muslim voters believe that Joe Biden won the September 29th presidential debate, while 14 percent think that Donald Trump won it. Twenty-one percent were unsure who won the debate, most likely due to its chaotic nature. 
• Forty-two percent of registered Muslims voters consider themselves liberal leaning on social issues, while 34 percent consider themselves to be conservative. 
• However, 42 percent consider themselves to be fiscally conservative, while 37 percent who consider themselves to be fiscally liberal. 
• Sixty-five percent of Muslim voters believe that Democrats are most concerned with protecting religious freedoms, while 19 percent believe that Republicans are the most concerned. 
• Sixty-seven percent of Muslim voters believe that Democrats are most concerned with addressing racial inequality, while 16 percent believe that Republicans are the most concerned. 
• Seventy-two percent of Muslim voters believe that Democrats are the most concerned with providing accessible healthcare, while 15 percent believe that Republicans are the most concerned. 
• Seventy-two percent of Muslim voters believe that Democrats are the most concerned with treating all immigrants equally, while 15 percent believe that Republicans are the most concerned. 
• Of the registered Muslim voters that participated in CAIR's survey, 45 percent feel that the Democratic Party is generally friendly toward Muslims, followed by 44 percent who feel that it is neutral toward Muslims, and 14 percent who feel that it is unfriendly toward Muslims. 
• Sixty-one percent of registered Muslim voters feel that the Republican Party is unfriendly toward Muslims, 24 percent feel that the Republican Party is neutral toward Muslims, and 16 percent feel that the Republican Party is friendly toward Muslims. 
• Sixty-seven percent of registered Muslim voters think Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. has increased in the past four years, while 15 percent of registered Muslim voters think Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. has decreased.  Eighteen percent of registered Muslim voters preferred not to answer the question. 

"Our survey clearly shows that more registered Muslim voters intend to vote in this presidential election than in 2016, and that the majority of those voters favor former Vice President Joe Biden in comparison to re-electing President Donald Trump," said CAIR Director of Government Affairs Robert S. McCaw. "That said, Muslim voters are equally social liberals and fiscal conservatives, indicating that both major political parties should be doing more to reach out to and engage Muslims in this and every election." 

CAIR's survey is just one part of an ongoing effort by the Washington-based civil rights organization to mobilize American Muslim voters. CAIR recently launched a new section of the 2020 election and voter mobilization website for "Early Voting" and updated its "Vote-by-Mail Guide" to mark National Voter Registration Day for 2020. 

SEE: Muslims.Vote 

If you believe your voting rights have been violated while voting, please contact the Council on American-Islamic Relations at (202) 488-8787 or [email protected]. 

NOTE: As a nonpartisan tax-exempt organization, CAIR encourages American Muslims to participate in national and state elections. CAIR does not support one candidate or political party over another. 

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. 

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. 

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CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR Communications Coordinator Ayan Ajeen, [email protected] 

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)