Key keywords: Marquette Law School Poll, national voter survey, inflation, cost of living, US economic concerns, 2024 election priorities, voter sentiment, US household financial stress The latest national survey released by the Marquette University Law School Poll on Wednesday offers a clear snapshot of American voters’ top priorities ahead of the 2024 general election, with inflation and rising cost of living emerging as the most important issue facing the country by a wide margin, followed closely by broader economic performance. The representative survey collected responses from 1,286 registered voters across all 50 U.S. states between April 16 and April 25, 2024, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points, making it one of the most reliable national voter sentiment measures released this quarter. When asked to name the single most important issue that will guide their vote in November, 38% of respondents cited inflation and cost of living, a 12-point lead over the second-place category of overall economic conditions, which was selected by 26% of participants. The data reveals striking cross-partisan alignment on these economic priorities: 44% of Republican voters, 34% of Democratic voters, and 41% of independent voters all listed inflation and cost of living as their top concern, marking the only issue that ranked in the top two for all three voter groups. By comparison, other widely debated issues landed far behind: immigration was cited by 11% of respondents, abortion access by 9%, climate change by 7%, and gun policy by 6%. Household income level is a strong predictor of how high voters rank cost of living stress, the poll found. Among households earning less than $50,000 annually, 47% named inflation and cost of living as their top issue, compared to 32% of households earning more than $150,000 a year. Rising grocery costs, housing expenses, and utility bills were the three most frequently cited specific financial pressures across all income groups. Political analysts note the poll findings are already reshaping campaign messaging for candidates at both the federal and state level. Republican candidates have leaned into the data to criticize the Biden administration’s economic policies, while Democratic campaigns are rolling out targeted policy proposals focused on capping prescription drug costs, expanding affordable housing, and eliminating hidden consumer fees to address voter concerns about household expenses.