www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | JUNE 2016 25
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND
THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
Small business owners were also asked about the 2016 presiden-
tial election campaign in the April Wells Fargo/Gallup Small
Business Index. The survey found that small business owners are
significantly engaged in news about the presidential campaign. A
total of 87% of business owners are following the election either
very closely (56%) or somewhat closely (31%). This is a much
higher percentage than the average American, according to
Gallup. In a national survey of adults in mid-April, Gallup found
that only 37% of Americans were following the election very
closely and 38% somewhat closely. Ninety-two% of small busi-
ness owners said they do plan to vote in the November election.
While half of business owners (50%) said the outcome of the
November presidential election will have a major impact on their
small businesses, there appears to be significant doubt among
small business owners that the candidates are addressing their
concerns. Less than three in 10 small business owners surveyed
(28%) said the presidential candidates are discussing the issues
most important to them as small business owners. Notably, this
is much lower than the 58% of national adults surveyed by Gallup
in mid-April who said that the candidates are addressing issues
most important to them. Less than half (47%) of business owners
surveyed said they understand the candidates' issues extremely
or very well.
ISSUES IMPORTANT TO
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
In a sequence of questions, small business owners rated the
importance of 15 specific issues to their small business when
the new president takes office. Small business owners said that
the new president's actions relating to these top issues were
extremely or very important to them:
Small business implications of the tax code, tax regulations
and tax rates, 83%
Economic policies that affect small business owners, 77%
Healthcare and the current healthcare law, 73%
Other issues that were rated as extremely or very important
by two-thirds or more of business owners included, actions that
would increase consumer confidence and terrorism/national
security. Among issues at the low end of the importance ranking
for small business owners were climate change, minimum wage,
and education.
