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DETROIT—Residents of Detroit who believe the city is progressing positively are more inclined to participate in the election on Nov. 4 than those who perceive the city as moving in a negative direction, according to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan’s Detroit Metro Area Communities Study.

In total, 56% of Detroit residents think the city is primarily advancing constructively, whereas 13% feel it is generally on a negative path, and 31% are uncertain about its trajectory. The survey was conducted from Aug. 6 to Oct. 1, and results have been adjusted to represent the demographics of the city’s populace as a whole.

Among those Detroiters who harbor an optimistic outlook on the city’s direction, 70% indicated that they will certainly cast their vote in the forthcoming election—the first instance in over ten years that residents will choose a new mayor. Conversely, only 41% of those who think the city is on the wrong path and 52% of the undecided residents expressed a definitive intention to vote in November.

“We inquired among Detroiters regarding their priorities for the new administration, in addition to evaluating their overall feelings about the city’s trajectory and their voting intentions. We observe distinct differences influenced by age, ethnicity, and city council district, which highlight the necessity of capturing the diversity of perspectives among Detroiters through this poll,” stated Jeffrey Morenoff, a faculty leader for DMACS and a U-M professor of sociology and public policy.

Morenoff co-authored a new issue summary analyzing the survey findings. This builds upon a previous summary released in September that assessed the primary challenges confronting Detroit households and their expectations from city officials (Related story: Survey reveals key challenges Detroiters want the new mayor to tackle).

Overall, 61% of Detroiters reported they will definitely vote in the Nov. 4 election, while 25% indicated they will probably vote, and 14% stated they either probably or definitely will not participate. These voting intentions closely correspond to those documented in a DMACS poll from last year, where approximately 6 in 10 Detroiters affirmed they would “definitely” participate in the 2024 presidential election.

Older Detroit residents exhibited significantly greater certainty about voting in the upcoming election relative to younger voters, with 82% of individuals aged 65 and above reporting they will definitely vote, as opposed to a mere 39% of those under 35.

Detroit residents with higher levels of education and income are also more inclined to vote. There is minimal variance between the proportion of Black Detroiters (65%) and white Detroiters (64%) who indicated they will definitely vote in November, whereas Latino Detroiters showed considerably less assurance about voting, with only 27% confirming they will definitely participate.

“The survey provides valuable insights into some of the aspirations and concerns framing this pivotal election. We observe varying degrees of motivation to vote among different groups,” commented Yucheng Fan, data manager at DMACS and co-author of the issue summary.

Optimism regarding the city’s direction differed among demographic groups. The survey indicated that men (65%) were more likely than women (48%) to believe Detroit is generally progressing positively. White residents (70%) expressed more optimism than Black (54%) or Latino residents (53%) about the city’s trajectory. Older and higher-income Detroiters also showed increased positivity concerning the city’s path.

When analyzing city council districts, a favorable perspective on the city’s direction was most prevalent in Downtown, Midtown, and Southwest Detroit (Districts 5 and 6), while it was least common on the East Side (Districts 3 and 4). Residents in the Northwest Side of Detroit fell somewhere in between these two extremes.

Regarding the issues Detroiters expect the new mayor to address, the following concerns ranked as top priorities:

• Quality of K-12 education (81% of Detroiters regarded this as a high priority)
• Crime and personal safety (80%)
• Affordable housing (77%)
• Access to high-quality employment opportunities (75%)
• Condition of roads and infrastructure (65%)
• Economic development and investment (64%)
• Public transportation accessibility (61%)
• Trends in Detroit’s population (34%)

K-12 education is a higher priority for Black and Latino residents, as well as Detroiters with annual household incomes exceeding $10,000, while it holds less significance for white residents and those with incomes below $10,000.

Crime and safety are more pressing concerns for Black residents, women, older Detroiters, those with higher educational attainment, and residents with middle-class incomes. Affordable housing is prioritized more by Black residents, women, older individuals, and those with low to middle incomes. Access to quality jobs is particularly significant for Black residents, women, and those within the low to middle-income brackets.

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