About 6 in 10 Americans consider prescription drugs a “very important” issue in their vote for president, an Associated Press poll indicates, and about that many say either they or someone in their family takes such medicines regularly.
Two-thirds of people over 55–one of the most active voting groups–consider prescription drugs very important in their vote, according to the poll by ICR of Media, Pa.
Four of five people with incomes under $15,000–a group less likely to vote–consider the issue very important.
Asked what issue was most important in deciding how to vote, 23 percent said education. Moral values was second, followed by Social Security and Medicare. The poll of 1,007 adults was taken Oct. 4-8 and has an error margin of 3 percentage points.
Asked which candidate would do a better job with seniors’ prescription drugs, 46 percent said Democrat Al Gore; 33 percent said Republican George W. Bush. Gore proposes prescription drug help to all seniors in the Medicare program; Bush would help the elderly poor and subsidize choice in drug plans for other Medicare beneficiaries.
