Ahead of Consequential Midterm Elections, Do San Diego Voters Know the Rules?
SAN DIEGO (Oct. 29, 2026) – Do San Diegans know the rules to determine if their votes count? How confident are they that elections are being conducted fairly? And how much do they expect this year’s election to affect their daily lives?
The latest San Diego Vital Signs poll, a survey of 800 San Diego County adults, offers a timely look at voter knowledge, enthusiasm and confidence as Election Day approaches. Most respondents (77%) say they are as enthusiastic or more enthusiastic about voting than in previous elections, and seven in 10 believe this election will affect their daily lives. San Diegans trust local elections more than national ones: 74% are confident their votes will be counted fairly in San Diego, while nearly half (47%) are not confident about elections nationwide.
San Diego Vital Signs is a collaboration between Dr. Tom K. Wong, a nationally recognized scholar who has conducted more than 300 public-opinion polls, and J. Walcher Communications, a San Diego-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in communicating real data and human stories.
The poll also reveals gaps in voter knowledge that could leave some San Diegans unsure of their options on Election Day. One in four respondents doesn’t know that voters in line at a vote center by 8 p.m. can stay and cast a ballot. Nearly half don’t know they can vote at any vote center in the county, and more than a quarter are unaware they can vote in person if they lose their mail ballot.
“There are a lot of voting rules that we take for granted. This poll shows what people actually know as they head to the polls,” Wong said. “When we think about engagement and participation in our democracy, closing these knowledge gaps matters, because voters who understand their options are more likely to make sure their ballots count.”
Beyond the election, the October survey includes the questions San Diego Vital Signs tracks each month, covering quality of life, cost of living, affordability and local government.
“No one else is collecting this kind of data on an ongoing basis, which makes San Diego Vital Signs a valuable tool for understanding what San Diegans are thinking, feeling and experiencing – and the actions our region can take as a result,” said Sandy Young, CEO and owner of J. Walcher Communications. “It’s critical that we continue to take the pulse of our community, and we hope to secure the funding needed to sustain this important resource well into the future.”
The survey is actively seeking funding to keep it running. Please contact press@JWalcher.com to learn more.
San Diego Vital Signs Survey, Oct. 2026 Presentation
San Diego Vital Signs Oct. 2026 Digital Press Kit
San Diego Vital Signs Briefing Recording, Oct. 2026
Full results and data visualizations from the September poll are available: https://jwalcher.com/sandiegovitalsignsseptember2026/
ABOUT TOM K. WONG
A nationally recognized scholar and polling expert, Tom K. Wong Ph.D.has conducted more than 300 public opinion polls, ranging from national and statewide surveys to highly localized research. He is an associate professor of political science and founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego. A recipient of the ACLU Presidential Prize, Wong has also advised the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and served on California’s 2020 Census Complete Count Committee.
ABOUT J. WALCHER COMMUNICATIONS
J. Walcher Communications is a top public relations and marketing communications agency that specializes in communicating real data and human stories. Celebrating its 25th anniversary of telling stories throughout San Diego County and nationwide, the agency works with a range of industries including real estate development, professional services, hospitality, sports/ entertainment, consumer products, nonprofits and associations, social justice and more.
Services include media relations, community relations, social media and digital communications, crisis communications, marketing and branding, advertising, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and media training to local, regional and national clients. The company is listed by Forbes as one of the “Best PR Agencies” in the U.S. For more information, visit www.jwalcher.com or follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
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