YPCCC Resources on 2026 Primary Elections

The document outlines the role of global warming as a voting priority for U.S. registered voters ahead of the 2026 elections. It details voter preferences for candidates who support climate action, support for regulating carbon dioxide, and the intersection of climate change with the cost of living. The data highlights significant partisan divides, with strong support for climate action among Democrats and lower, though present, support among some Republicans.

• As of Fall 2025, 35% of registered voters overall consider global warming a "very important" issue for their vote, representing a 3 percentage point increase since 2014. This priority is highest among liberal Democrats (65%) and lowest among conservative Republicans (4%).
• A majority of registered voters (59%) prefer candidates who support action on global warming. This includes 95% of liberal Democrats, 82% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 42% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 21% of conservative Republicans.
• Despite the EPA overturning the "endangerment finding" in February 2026, 74% of registered voters support the regulation of carbon dioxide as a pollutant, with support reaching 94% among liberal Democrats and 45% among conservative Republicans.
• Registered voters generally oppose eliminating climate-related programs: 79% oppose eliminating FEMA, 77% oppose stopping federal research on global warming, 77% oppose stopping the public provision of global warming information, and 65% oppose banning new offshore wind farms.
• There is broad state-level support for federal action on climate change, with majorities of adults in 47 states believing Congress should do more to address global warming and majorities in 48 states prioritizing clean energy development for the president and Congress.
• Climate change is linked to economic concerns, with 65% of registered voters believing global warming affects the cost of living, a concern shared by 88% of liberal Democrats and 42% of conservative Republicans.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2026). YPCCC Resources on 2026 Primary Elections. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/ypccc-resources-on-2026-primary-elections/

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. YPCCC Resources on 2026 Primary Elections. 2026. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/ypccc-resources-on-2026-primary-elections/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=YPCCC Resources on 2026 Primary Elections |date=2 April 2026 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/ypccc-resources-on-2026-primary-elections/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2026ypccc, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{YPCCC Resources on 2026 Primary Elections}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/ypccc-resources-on-2026-primary-elections/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }