New Jersey residents rank seventh in satisfaction with local political journalism, according to a survey by researchers at Rutgers and other universities.

Americans rely primarily on personal networks and news media for voting information regarding the 2024 U.S. presidential election, according to a survey by researchers at Rutgers and other universities.

Younger adults and less educated people seek information from friends and family, while older, wealthier and more educated people favor the media.

According to the researchers, these findings raise important questions about the role of local and national media in shaping democratic participation.

“Our research showed that preferences for news sources also differ across political affiliations,” said Katherine Ognianovaassociate professor of communication at Rutgers School of Communication and Information. “Democrats and independents more often choose news media, while Republicans tend to select personal networks. National news sources are more popular than local sources, although local media usage is higher among older Americans and those with lower incomes and education levels. Reported satisfaction with local political news varies widely, with higher levels of satisfaction among black respondents, Democrats, and urban residents. DC and New York report the highest satisfaction with local news, while Montana and Idaho score highest in dissatisfaction.

The report, “2024 US Elections: News and Information Sources,” THE Civic Health and Institutions Projectis a joint initiative of Rutgers University, Northeastern University, Harvard University, Harvard Medical School and the University of Rochester. Between August 30 and October 8, researchers gathered data from 25,518 Americans aged 18 and older in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Respondents were asked about “the most important source of information they relied on to make a decision about voting in 2024.”

According to the researchers, their responses covered a range of options, from discussions with friends and family, to party nominations, to support from unions, celebrities or clergy.

“While this report provides insight into the sources Americans use to obtain election information, it does not explore why people can choose or avoid certain types of information,” Ognyanova said. “In the case of local media, for example, it remains unclear whether their limited use reflects personal preferences or is the result of restricted access. The decline of local media and the rise of news deserts in the United States mean that for many Americans, local news may simply not be available.

Among the findings:

• Friends and family (29%) and news media (26%) are the top sources Americans use for information about voting, with younger people (ages 18 to 24) relying more on personal networks and the older population (65 years and over) favoring news media. .
• Overall, less than a tenth of respondents (9%) said social media
• was their main source of election information. The percentage was higher
• among young people (14%) and non-white Americans (13%).
• Less-educated Americans tend to rely more on friends and family for election information, while those with higher education and income are more likely to prefer news media .
• Democrats and independents are more likely to rely on the news media (29%), while Republicans more often get information from friends and family (34%).
• Local media is the primary source of election information for 8% of Americans, while national media is preferred by 17%. Three-quarters of Americans identify sources other than the media as their primary way to stay informed about the 2024 election.
• Older Americans, as well as those with lower incomes and education levels, are more likely to rely primarily on local news for information about the 2024 elections.
• In the United States, reliance on national news for election information is highest in Connecticut (26%), Massachusetts (26%), and Nevada (25%), while states where people are most Likely to rely on local information are Hawaii (14%), Louisiana (13%) and South Carolina (12%).
• Twenty-five percent of Americans say they are “very satisfied” and “extremely satisfied” with local political news, with relatively higher levels of satisfaction among black respondents (35%), Democrats (38%) and people living in urban areas (33%). .
• Americans with higher incomes and formal education are more likely to report satisfaction with local political news.
• The District of Columbia (48%), New York (42%), North Carolina (33%), Pennsylvania (33%), Michigan (31%), and Illinois (30%) reported being the most more satisfied with local political news.
• Conversely, Montana (50%), Idaho (49%), Wyoming (45%), New Mexico (45%), and New Hampshire (40%) were most dissatisfied with local news .

Ognianova who conducts research in network science, computational social science, social technology, media, and civic and political communication, is the director of Rutgers Social Sciences Computer Lab.