New Jersey residents report the seventh highest level of satisfaction with local political journalism, according to a survey by researchers at Rutgers and other universities

Americans are relying mainly on personal networks and the media to vote for information about the 2024 US presidential election, according to a survey by researchers at Rutgers and other universities.

Younger adults and people with less formal education seek information from friends and family, while older, wealthier, and more educated people prefer news publications.

These findings, the researchers said, raise important questions about the role of local and national media in shaping democratic participation.

“Our research has shown that preferences for information sources also differ by political affiliation,” said Katherine Ognyanovaassociate professor of communication with Rutgers School of Communication and Information. “Democrats and independents more often choose news media, while Republicans tend to choose personal networks. National news sources are more popular than local news sources, although local media use is higher among older Americans and those with lower incomes and education levels. Reported satisfaction with local political news varies widely, with higher satisfaction levels among respondents of color, Democrats, and urban residents. DC and New York report the highest satisfaction with local news, while Montana and Idaho score the highest levels of dissatisfaction.”

The report, “2024 US Election: News and Information Sources,” the Civic Health and Institutions Projectis a joint initiative of Rutgers University, Northeastern University, Harvard University and Harvard Medical School, and the University of Rochester. Conducted between August 30 and October 8, researchers collected data on 25,518 Americans aged 18 and over in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Respondents were asked about “the most important source of information they relied on when making a decision about voting in 2024.”

Their answers, the researchers said, covered a wide range of options, from talking to friends and family, to party nominations, to supporting unions, celebrities or clergy.

“While this report provides insight into the sources Americans use for election information, it does not explore why people can choose or avoid certain types of news,” Ognyanova said. “In the case of local media, for example, it remains unclear whether its limited use reflects personal preferences or is the result of restricted access. The decline of local media and the rise of news deserts in the US means that for many Americans, local news may simply not be available.”

Among ascertainment:

• Friends and family (29%) and news media (26%) are the top sources Americans use for voting information, with young people (ages 18-24) leaning more heavily on personal networks , and the older population (over 65) preferring news media. .
• Overall, less than a tenth of respondents (9%) said social media
• was the most important source of election news. The percentage was higher
• among young people (14%) and non-white Americans (13%).
• Americans with less formal education tend to rely more on friends and family for election information, while those with higher education and income are more likely to prefer the news media.
• Democrats and independents are more likely to rely on the news media (29%), while Republicans get information more often from friends and family (34%).
• Local media serves as the primary source of election information for 8% of Americans, while national media is preferred by 17%. Three-quarters of Americans identify sources other than the news media as their primary way to stay informed about the 2024 election.
• Older Americans, as well as those with lower income and education, are most likely to rely primarily on local news for information about the 2024 election.
• In the US, reliance on national news for election information is highest in Connecticut (26%), Massachusetts (26%) and Nevada (25%), while the states where people are most likely to rely on local news are Hawaii (14%), Louisiana (13%) and South Carolina (12%).
• Twenty-five percent of Americans say they are “very satisfied” and “extremely satisfied” with local political news, with relatively higher satisfaction levels among black respondents (35%), Democrats (38%) and people living in urban areas (33%). .
• Americans with higher incomes and levels of formal education are more likely to say they are satisfied with local political news.
• The District of Columbia (48%), New York (42%), North Carolina (33%), Pennsylvania (33%), Michigan (31%) and Illinois (30%) reported the highest satisfaction with local political news .
• Instead, Montana (50%), Idaho (49%), Wyoming (45%), New Mexico (45%) and New Hampshire (40%) were the most dissatisfied with local news.

Ognyanov who conducts research in network science, computational social science, social technology, mass media, and civic and political communication, is the director Rutgers Computational Social Science Laboratory.