2020 National Survey of Likely Jewish Voters

September 14, 2020

On behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Garin-Hart-Yang conducted an online survey of 810 Jewish voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote in the November 2020 election. The survey, which was conducted from September 2 to 7, 2020, has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points.  

Topline Analysis of the Data Regarding the Jewish Electorate

  • 67% of Jewish voters disapprove of President Trump’s job performance. This is about 15% higher than the American electorate as a whole.
  • 70% of Jewish voters view Joe Biden in favorable terms, more than 20% higher than the American electorate.
  • Biden overwhelmingly leads President Trump on every issue, including Israel.
  • Kamala Harris matches Biden in favorability among Jewish voters.
  • 90% of Jewish voters said the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is an important issue to consider when deciding which candidate to vote for.
  • A majority of Jewish voters believe that Trump deserves the greatest blame for the spread of coronavirus, and less than a quarter of Jewish voters trust Trump on the federal government’s response to the coronavirus.
  • More than 80% of Jewish voters believe the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalism are very important issues to consider when deciding which candidate to support. Nearly two-thirds of Jewish voters trust Joe Biden more on anti-Semitism, and one quarter of Jewish voters trust Donald Trump.
  • Most Jewish voters feel less secure than they did four years ago, and a majority believe they will be less safe if Trump is reelected.
  • 88% of Jewish voters self-identify as pro-Israel, and a majority of Jewish voters are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies. Democratic and Republican Jewish voters identify as pro-Israel at the same level.
  • Jewish voters prioritize domestic policy issues over Israel when asked which issues are most important. Less than one-fifth of respondents said Israel is the one of the most important issues when deciding which candidate to support.
  • The Israel-UAE agreement had no effect on a majority of Jewish voters’ view of Donald Trump.  Jewish voters trust Biden more than Trump on Israel.
  • Unlike other constituencies, most Jewish voters plan to vote BEFORE election day AND feel comfortable with non-in-person voting methods.

Detailed analysis of selected findings of the JEI survey are as follows .

1.   Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump’s job performance, with more than three-in-five saying they strongly disapprove of Trump.

Ninety-two percent of Biden supporters strongly disapprove of Trump, while just two-thirds (64%) of Trump supporters strongly approve of Trump’s performance.

Jewish voters remain strongly anti-Trump, and more so than the overall electorate.  According to a CNN national survey from August 28 to September 1, Trump’s performance as president was measured at 41% approve and 53% disapprove.

2.    Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both have favorable ratings among 70% of Jewish voters, while Donald Trump and Mike Pence receive nearly similar unfavorable ratings.

Joe Biden’s approval rating is 10% higher than the February 2020 survey, and 40% higher than Trump’s rating. The August 28 to September 1 CNN national survey referenced earlier showed Biden with a 48% favorable and 43% unfavorable rating. 

3.   The low number of “undecided” responses (3%) suggests a Jewish electorate that is pretty much locked in place. Biden leads among nearly every major subgroup except obvious ones (e.g., Republicans). Two-thirds of Jewish voters say they will vote for Joe Biden over President Trump, and three-quarters of Jewish women say they favor Biden.

4.   Domestic issues, such as the coronavirus, Medicare, and Social Security, health care, the economy, and the rise of anti-Semitism are the top issues for Jewish voters. When asked about the issues that are most important when selecting a candidate, Israel remains among the lowest priorities for Jewish voters. [1]

5.   When asked to compare trust in Biden or Trump on a number of issues, Biden leads Trump on every item tested, although there is some variation.   Biden has overwhelming leads on the electorate’s pressing priorities of coronavirus, health care, and climate change, but Biden also enjoys solid leads on economy/jobs and issues related to Israel.

The recent CNN survey shows Biden leading Trump by comfortable margins in 6 of the 7 issues tested, while Trump has a narrow 49%-48% lead on the economy among the national electorate.  However, Jewish voters prefer Biden over Trump by 25% percent (as noted in the chart above) on the economy.

6 .   The low importance of Israel as a voting issue in 2020 does NOT mean a corresponding diminution of Jewish voters’ support for Israel. Nearly nine-in-10 (88%) of respondents surveyed describe themselves as generally pro-Israel, which is at the same high level as in the Jewish Electorate Institute’s 2019 and 2018 surveys. Democrats (87%) and Republicans (87%) characterize themselves as pro-Israel at the exactly the same level. While respondents are strongly pro-Israel, we find that half of the Jewish electorate are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies.

7 .   A substantial proportion of Jewish voters personally feel less safe than they did at the start of the Trump presidency and believe that Jewish Americans are less safe than they were four years ago.

Furthermore, Jewish voters believe by better than two-to-one that Jews will become less safe if Donald Trump is reelected, with four-fifths of Biden supporters saying Jews will be less safe, versus 71% of Trump supporters who believe they will be safer. Sixty percent of Jewish voters trust Joe Biden more on the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalism.

8.   A sizeable proportion of Jewish voters place importance on issues of systemic racism and police brutality. In addition, the survey shows Jewish voters have positive impressions of the protestors for racial justice and Black Lives Matter .

Younger Jewish voters (ages 18-29) have slightly more positive views of the protestors and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement than the overall electorate (the CNN national survey, for example, showed BLM’s image as 51% favorable and 38% unfavorable), and older Jews have positive feelings toward both groups by better than two-to-one.  Almost two-fifths of Jewish Republicans have positive impressions of the protestors and BLM.

9.   More than 90% of respondents said they’re almost certain to vote in the 2020 election. When asked how they will cast their ballot for the election, 63% will vote absentee or early in person, and just 28% say they will vote on Election Day.

A little less than two-fifths of Jews under age 60 plan to vote on Election Day (compared to just 17% of Jews age 60+), but a plurality of these younger Jews still plan to vote by some form of absentee ballot.

Unlike polling that’s been conducted among other voter groups or the general voting population, Jewish voters express a high level of comfort with the various means of non-in-person voting (an important factor in the era of coronavirus), with in-person voting having the least amount of comfort.

[1] These results are virtually identical to the 2019 polling we conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute, when we asked about Israel in a slightly different way: “How important will a candidate’s position on Israel be for you personally in deciding who you will vote for in the November 2020 election?”

Pulse of The Jewish Voter Amidst Iran War Shows Engagement In A Host of Issues

April 15, 2026
U.S. JEWS VOTING DEM IN CONGRESS MIDTERMS YET QUESTION WHAT PARTY STANDS FOR, ESP. ON ISRAEL JEWISH R ’ s MOST ID ’ d AS PRO-ISRAEL, NEW POLL SHOWS United in Support of Israel ’ s Right to Exist as Jewish Homeland But Mixed Concepts of Zionism Jews see too much Israel criticism playing into antisemitism While most Jews feel too many Israel supporters use antisemitism claims to avoid legitimate policy debate WASHINGTON – The latest Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) poll shows American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans, on the other hand, are most identified as being pro-Israel, which is also one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. Meanwhile, amid debates in the Jewish community over Israel, war in Iran and election politics, American Jews are united in support of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and homeland for the Jewish people. However, there are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that play into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). Previous JEI analyses and releases centered on U.S. Jews’ pro-Israel identity and their criticism of the government, support for pro-Israel spending in the primaries and the popularity of AIPAC, DMFI and J Street. Also, on what American Jews would likely discuss at the Passover seder tables.

JEI's Spring 2026 Latest Poll

April 15, 2026
Jewish Voters Highly Engaged, Prioritize Domestic Issues; Strong Support for Israel and Caution on Military Action and Advocacy This recent March 2026 national survey finds that American Jewish adults overwhelmingly affirm Israel’s right to exist while also expressing caution about the current U.S. military escalation in Iran. Views on pro-Israel political spending, however, remain mixed. AIPAC has an overall favorable impression of 39%, DMFI 32%, and J Street 18%. Some key findings also include the following: Turnout and partisanship: Registered respondents report their very high intention to turn out for the November 2026 midterm elections. About seven in ten identify as Democrats (many strongly), roughly one in four compared to Republicans, with the remainder being made up of Independents. Democrats hold a substantial advantage in hypothetical congressional votes in respondents’ districts. Donald Trump receives broad net disapproval, and Benjamin Netanyahu is viewed unfavorably by more respondents than favorably. Israel and Zionism: There are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. Roughly seven in ten hold a favorable view of Israel; 87% endorse Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland. Most see Zionism as Jewish self‑determination, though only a third self‑identify as Zionist. A surprisingly large number are unsure about the definition of Zionism. Foreign policy and military action: A majority of respondents oppose current U.S. military action against Iran and say the president should have sought congressional approval for strikes. Many prioritize preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons but favor clear objectives and oversight over unilateral escalation. 2026 Midterm Elections & Party Affiliations: American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans are most identified as pro-Israel, which is one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. Pro‑Israel advocacy and spending: Opinions are split on outside groups spending in primaries—about a third support such spending, a third oppose it, and many are undecided. Respondents are nearly evenly divided on whether aggressive outside intervention helps or harms U.S.–Israel relations. Antisemitism and public debate: A large majority say some criticism of Israel slips into antisemitic tropes, and a significant share also believes some defenders wrongly label policy criticism as antisemitism. There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that plays into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. Domestic Issues are Important: Democrats are viewed positively on healthcare, abortion rights, fair elections, and middle class advocacy, while Republicans are viewed as pro-Israel but excessively conservative and unwilling to oppose the President. The sample of respondents: The current distribution of Jewish voters by party affiliation: 69% Democratic, 24% Republican, and 7% Independent. Poll respondents are mixed gender, highly educated, and religiously plural within Judaism (Reform and unaffiliated are the largest). About one‑third belong to a synagogue, but religious practice varies. Jewish women Voters: There are more female Democrats likely to hold reinforcing views, contributing to the party's electoral advantage, thereby fueling the midterm margin. The partisan divide is even larger among women. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Jewish women identify as Democrats, including 50% who are strong Democrats, and 24% who identify as Democratic Socialists. Likely Jewish women voters are supporting the Democrats in the generic vote: 78% Democratic, 19% Republican, and only 3% undecided. The Democratic vote margin increases significantly with age among Jewish women. Women ages 18-29 vote +46 Democratic, rising to +60 among those 40–59 and +58 among those 60 and older. These margins exceed those of the overall Jewish electorate, where voters ages 40–59 and 60+ both register a +48 Democratic advantage. The strength of Jewish identity also follows a consistent pattern. Among women who place lower importance on being Jewish, the Democratic advantage is +74, compared to +61 among the overall electorate. Among those who place higher importance on being Jewish, Jewish women still lean more Democratic than the overall electorate, at +41 versus +36. Jewish women are also more likely to disapprove of Trump’s job performance and the current U.S. military action against Iran. They are four points more likely than the overall electorate to disapprove of Trump’s job performance (77% vs. 73%) and the U.S. military action in Iran (59% vs. 55%). Jewish voters combine strong civic engagement and a clear Democratic preference with nuanced views that favor protecting Israel while insisting on democratic oversight, strategic clarity, and careful political tactics. Well-positioned issues that resonate for candidates and organizations in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections include emphasizing support for Israel alongside respect for congressional authority, clear policy goals, and sensitive messaging on antisemitism. "This poll reinforces a simple truth that the Jewish community is not monolithic, and the Jewish vote should not be taken for granted. Their concerns extend beyond Israel and Iran. It also indicates a critical need for education about Israel's history and the meaning of Zionism. These needs have never been more urgent than they are today," said Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI Chair. These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups).

JTA: Most American Jews oppose AIPAC spending in Democratic primaries, survey finds

April 14, 2026
The survey was released one week after another conducted by the Mellman Group and commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that a majority of American Jews have “not heard much” about the role that pro-Israel lobbying groups have played in this year’s early midterm primaries.  The poll, which surveyed 800 registered Jewish voters March 13-23, found that just 11% of American Jews had heard a “great deal” about “the role pro-Israel groups have played in the early 2026 primaries,” while 27% said they’d heard “some” about it. Meanwhile, 62% said they’d either heard “not much,” “none at all” or that they don’t know.