FICI Survey Report

Milwaukee and Reading Infrastructure Research – October 2023 to February 2024

Hyphen and HIT Strategies conducted research to determine Americans’ attitudes towards landmark infrastructure laws passed under the Biden Administration, specifically the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).(1) The research focused on Milwaukee, WI and Reading, PA, two cities chosen in order to center voters of color and their opinions on infrastructure projects in their community. The research shows that infrastructure work is very mobilizing for voters, especially voters of color, when it focuses on economic support, environmental improvements and equity – specifically improving infrastructure in communities where it has caused harm in the past (including through redlining, lack of funding, and pollution). For more information on the Federal Infrastructure Communications Initiative, see here.

Key Findings

Voters in Milwaukee and Reading are very excited about infrastructure initiatives. The survey tested 10 initiatives from the BIL and IRA and asked respondents to rate each one on its importance from a scale of 0 to 10. Initiatives such as ensuring Americans have access to clean water (83% very important), lowering prescription drug prices (78%), rebuilding infrastructure to connect Americans to each other (77%), cleaning up pollution (72%), and creating jobs through clean energy projects (67%) all saw over two-thirds of respondents rate them between 8 and 10 on the importance scale.
Voters of color are especially enthusiastic about initiatives that center around the three Es – the economy, equity, and the environment – because these are the most pressing issues in their lives. Voters of color feel that initiatives such as lowering health care costs, creating jobs, and fixing infrastructure and pollution in their communities will have a real, immediate impact in their lives. The economy and cost of living is the top issue they care about, and participants in focus groups are excited that many of these infrastructure projects aim to directly address economic concerns. Additionally, voters of color are acutely aware that their communities have disproportionately borne the brunt of infrastructure failures in the past, and the focus on equity within the BIL and IRA is a must. While the BIL and IRA each have a lot of components, any communications strategy around these laws should focus on initiatives that are most directly tied to the economy, environment, and equity because those are problems that Americans want to know are being addressed.
In general, voters have not heard much about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), creating an opportunity to inform. Only 38% of voters in Milwaukee and Reading(2) have heard much about the BIL and only 44% have heard much about the IRA. As a result, only 36% of voters say that the BIL and IRA will have a positive impact on their community. There is an information gap around these two landmark laws, and this creates an opportunity to inform voters about them for the first time.
Once voters are informed about the BIL and IRA, however, positive opinion about the laws skyrockets, voters feel that their vote has more power, and they report being more likely to vote in 2024. After receiving information about initiatives that are part of the BIL and IRA, voters in Milwaukee and Reading are very enthusiastic about both laws. By the end of the survey, 59% of voters think the laws will have a positive impact on their community (23% increase). Nearly all demographics report feeling that their vote has more power by the end of the survey, with noticeable jumps among voters 18-29 (19% increase in vote power), white voters in Reading (13% increase in vote power), and independents (7% increase in vote power). Similarly, all demographics report being slightly more likely to vote in 2024 at the end of the survey, with vote likelihood increases of 5-6% among Black respondents and among voters age 30-39. Information about these laws unlocks enthusiasm about not only the initiatives themselves, but the efficacy of the political process in general.
Voters want accessible information about the initiatives that are part of the BIL and IRA, including ways to track progress in their communities. Participants in the focus group are enthusiastic about both the BIL and IRA after hearing more about the laws, but there is a desire for accountability from the government as well. This includes spreading awareness about these initiatives to the public in the first place, and also keeping people updated on progress. Voters, especially voters of color, feel that they have heard promises from the government many times before without actually seeing results in their community. As a result, participants want the government to prove that these promises are being kept by providing easily accessible updates and sharing success stories from their communities as they happen.
Messaging that focuses on voter power and equity works best. Messaging around the BIL and IRA performs well with voters in Reading and Milwaukee when it focuses on two tracks. First, on the notion that voters won the initiatives in the BIL and IRA through their votes, and that communities need to continue to stay involved to hold politicians accountable and make sure there is follow-through (64% rate this message between 8 and 10 on a 0 to 10 scale). Second, on the idea that our communities should be places where everyone can thrive, and that the BIL and IRA can make this happen by explicitly prioritizing equity in their programs (63% rate between 8 and 10).
Voters think that community involvement will be important for these initiatives to thrive, and around a quarter want to get involved themselves. Nearly two-thirds of voters in Reading and Milwaukee (64%)(3) think that community involvement around BIL and IRA initiatives (including contact with elected officials and work with community organizations) will have an impact in making sure their community benefits from the funds available. After hearing information about the BIL and IRA, 23% of voters say they would personally get involved with these initiatives in their community, including 44% of Black voters in Milwaukee (a jump from 29% at the beginning of the survey).

Voters want to get involved, but the government needs to make that process accessible for people. Voters of color in the focus groups echo the sentiment that they would like to get involved in efforts to make sure their community benefits from funding through the BIL and IRA, but they express barriers to civic engagement. Many think that community meetings or engagement processes are not properly advertised or communicated, and that opportunities are often scheduled during inconvenient times for parents and those who work. Further, they worry that as people of color, they are not listened to when they report issues or attempt to engage with the community. The government needs to proactively make the process of civic engagement more accessible in order for people to get involved with the BIL and IRA. This includes publicly advertising meetings well in advance, doing outreach with various community groups, and providing clear-cut instructions on how the average American can make an impact through these laws.

Endnotes:

(1) The first phase of research was a set of two focus groups conducted online on October 12, 2023, with respondents from Reading, Pennsylvania in the first group and respondents from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the second. The demographics of each group consisted of registered voters of color, a mix of age and gender, and a mix of Democrats and independents. The second phase of research was a survey conducted February 8th – February 16th among 869 registered voters in Reading, PA and Milwaukee, WI. This survey was weighted by gender, race, age, education, and 2020 presidential vote. Reading and Milwaukee were chosen as cities with a strong focus on infrastructure and large populations of voters of color.

(2)The first phase of research was a set of two focus groups conducted online on October 12, 2023, with respondents from Reading, Pennsylvania in the first group and respondents from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the second. The demographics of each group consisted of registered voters of color, a mix of age and gender, and a mix of Democrats and independents. The second phase of research was a survey conducted February 8th – February 16th among 869 registered voters in Reading, PA and Milwaukee, WI. This survey was weighted by gender, race, age, education, and 2020 presidential vote. Reading and Milwaukee were chosen as cities with a strong focus on infrastructure and large populations of voters of color.

(3) The first phase of research was a set of two focus groups conducted online on October 12, 2023, with respondents from Reading, Pennsylvania in the first group and respondents from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the second. The demographics of each group consisted of registered voters of color, a mix of age and gender, and a mix of Democrats and independents. The second phase of research was a survey conducted February 8th – February 16th among 869 registered voters in Reading, PA and Milwaukee, WI. This survey was weighted by gender, race, age, education, and 2020 presidential vote. Reading and Milwaukee were chosen as cities with a strong focus on infrastructure and large populations of voters of color.