FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX News) — Polls show the economy and cost of living are the top concerns for voters heading into the upcoming election, and a University of Kentucky political science professor says that could spell trouble for the party currently in the White House.
With 38 days until Election Day, time is running out for candidates to make their case. Political experts say most voters who are still undecided will make their final decisions in October.
"More often than not, voters make their decisions - the ones who have decisions to make - in October," Dr. Stephen Voss said.
Voss, a political science professor at the University of Kentucky, says one of the most well-established principles in political science is that voters hold the president's party accountable when economic conditions are poor.
"The backlash among voters against the president's party when the economy is not going well is like the one law of voting behavior, the one scientific law of voting behavior. Bad economic conditions lead to a backlash against the president's party," Voss said.
While most voters have already made up their minds, Voss says the remaining undecided voters will likely base their choices on how they feel the past two years have gone — with their personal financial situation playing a significant role.
"They usually make those decisions based on how they think things are going. Is the country going well? Is it going badly? Are prices bad? Do we have some war that they're mad about," Voss said.
Ultimately, Voss says the outcomes of the midterm contests will likely come down to voter turnout.
