Social Security, prices top issues for Ohio's 50+ voters

By Isobel Charle

With the 2026 midterm election season underway, a new AARP survey showed most older Ohio residents consider their finances a top priority.

The survey found 56% of older voters are concerned about their personal financial situation.

Jenny Carlson, state director of AARP Ohio, said older adults are much more likely to vote than their younger neighbors and will likely have an outsized effect on the outcome.

“Their top issues are rising prices, Social Security and Medicare,” Carlson outlined. “When we talk about close races, highly motivated older voters, especially 50+ swing voters, can make a huge difference.”

The poll found a third of older swing voters are still undecided. Ohio’s governor’s race and the race for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Vice President JD Vance are both up for grabs and polls show both races are neck and neck.

According to the survey, Social Security is — or will be — a major source of income for the majority of respondents. Carlson noted nearly all older Ohio voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate who will push to make sure workers receive the Social Security benefits they have earned.

“This tells us something really important,” Carlson emphasized. “In Ohio, Social Security is not a partisan wedge. It’s really a baseline expectation.”

Carlson stressed candidates must also consider Ohio’s family caregivers. The survey found most voters 50 and older have been or are unpaid caregivers for loved ones with chronic illness or disability, and many face severe financial pressure. Carlson urged more policy support for caregivers.