Swing State Voters Want Harris and Trump to Give Detailed Plans for Shoring Up Social Security
Last Updated October 29, 2024
Despite decades of warnings, the depletion date for Social Security’s retirement trust fund is rapidly approaching. Unless lawmakers take action, Social Security’s trust fund will be depleted by 2033 – at which point benefits would be cut by 21 percent, automatically. These cuts would be devastating for the millions of seniors who rely on Social Security for a major share of their income.
The vast majority of voters (96%) in seven key battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin —say it’s important for the presidential candidates to have a plan to prevent automatic cuts to Social Security, according to new polling. So far neither Vice President Harris nor former President Trump has put forward a plan to shore up Social Security – but there are many policy options to choose from, with strong support from swing state voters:
- 60% of voters favor increasing Social Security taxes
- 63% of voters favor a combination of tax increases and benefit adjustments
- 75% of voters favor increasing taxes and reducing benefits for higher-income Americans
- 52% of voters favor having the retirement age gradually raised for those under 50

Further Reading
A Bipartisan Roadmap for Social Security Reform
Lawmakers are running out of time before automatic reductions to benefits are activated; the Brookings Institution plan is a valuable contribution to the policy discussion.
U.S. Population Growth Is Slowing Down — Here’s What That Means for the Federal Budget
Understanding how demographic challenges contribute to the United States’ fiscal challenges can help policymakers adopt fiscally sustainable policies.
What Is the Farm Bill, and Why Does It Matter for the Federal Budget?
The Farm Bill provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively address agricultural, food, conservation, and other issues.