Candidates Who Prioritize Park and Recreation Funding Are More Popular With Voters

According to the latest National Recreation and Park Association Park Pulse Survey, political candidates who make park and recreation funding a key priority are more likely to receive support from the public in an election. More than three in five U.S. adults say they are likely to vote for a candidate for mayor, county executive/president, council, legislature or Congress who makes park and recreation funding a priority. Parents and millennials show the strongest support for these candidates.

“These findings demonstrate the importance of investment in park and recreation facilities, spaces and programming,” said Kevin Roth, NRPA vice president of research, evaluation and technology. “U.S. adults have made it clear that these agencies and spaces are cornerstones to their communities and candidates must prioritize funding for these agencies. This support is unwavering across nearly every segment of the U.S. population, including by political affiliation.”

Key Findings:  

• Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults say they are likely to vote for a political candidate who makes park and recreation funding a priority.
• Compared to adults overall, millennials (69%) are more likely to vote for a political candidate who makes park and recreation funding a priority.
• Parents (75%) are significantly more likely than non-parents (55%) to vote for a political candidate who prioritizes park and recreation funding.

The typical local park and recreation agency delivers a wealth of high-quality, widely sought out amenities and programming with an annual operating budget of $93 per year (or less than $8 per month) for each resident that they serve.  Nearly nine in 10 respondents to the 2021 NRPA Engagement With Parks report agree it is important for local, state and federal governments to fund local park and recreation agencies sufficiently in order to ensure every member of the community has equitable access to amenities, infrastructure and programming.

To view the interactive charts with the survey results, click here.

To view the full-size infographic, click here.

Each month, through a poll of 1,000 U.S. residents focused on park and recreation issues, NRPA Park Pulse helps tell the park and recreation story.  To learn more about NRPA’s Park Pulse and see results from previous polls, click here.

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About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.