Washington, D.C., Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Star Families, a national nonpartisan nonprofit that provides community support and resources to military families, today released its report, Pulse Check: In Service of Our Democracy, in collaboration with Vet the Vote. The survey focused on the thoughts and feelings of military-connected individuals heading into the 2024 election. The results show that not only do the majority vote, but many also serve as poll workers in order to protect democracy. The Blue Star Families’ Civic Engagement Pulse Check survey was fielded August 1-12, 2024, and received more than 3,100 responses from active-duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, Veterans, and their family members.

Key Takeaways:

• The primary factor influencing military-connected respondents' vote in the 2024 election is ‘the state of democracy and corruption’. This ranked twice as high as compared to Americans as a whole, higher than immigration and the economy. 
• While only 12% of the general population has served as a poll worker, 1 in 5 military-connected respondents have worked the polls. 
• 93% of military-connected respondents believe that voting can influence the direction of the country — almost double of the registered voters in the general population (56%).
• At a time when retention concerns plague the All-Volunteer Force, one-quarter of respondents indicate that the outcome of the election will impact their likelihood to recommend military service. 

“Military families are super-voters, and super-poll-workers, putting their country first in a way all Americans can emulate. We trust the system we serve, despite its flaws; democracy works, when we all engage,” says Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families.

In another survey, Military families were chosen as the most trusted group in the country  with 90 percent of Americans having a favorable view of them, according to a  Blue Star Families/YouGov poll. The data from this survey shows that military-connected individuals show up to protect the state of democracy, not only by voting, but also working the polls to preserve the safety and integrity of Election Day. 

“All Americans can do their part to protect our democracy by voting and protecting the voting rights of others,” continued Roth-Douquet.

To view the full Pulse Check: In Service of Our Democracy results, visit the official results release website.

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About Blue Star Families
​​Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest Chapter-based military and Veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $200 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually. For more information, click here.

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